Help With Abstract Algebra

Help With Abstract AlgebraIf you're interested in helping with abstract algebra, you may have questions that arise. This is especially true if you are not quite sure about abstract algebra or it seems a bit too advanced for your skill level. Let's look at some of the most frequently asked questions.Your goals are clear. Are you interested in learning abstract algebra to get help with mathematical problems or to enhance your current math skills? Perhaps you are interested in using abstract algebra to strengthen your teaching or research skills. Whatever your motivation, there are things you can do to begin improving your abstract algebra skills.Be specific. What are you planning to learn? Is it appropriate for your level of math? You may need to spend some time with your instructor to get clear on your goals.Make sure you know all of the math concepts involved. If you plan to improve your teaching skills or you're hoping to understand complex mathematical concepts, you may need a bett er understanding of algebraic and/or analytic geometry. You also need to be familiar with the concepts of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and algebraic equations. These concepts are also important for analyzing equations and solving equations.Spend some time reading a basic algebra textbook. Get an understanding of how to read the book. When you get a better feel for the subject, start to think about how you would explain the concepts to a class of students. If you haven't read this type of book before, it may take some time to find one that is both interesting and appealing to you.Use a graphing calculator. If you are using an old-fashioned graphing calculator, look for one that allows you to display algebraic expressions and formulas. This will help you remember what you've already learned and make it easier to review your algebra. If you plan to make a lot of calculations, find a graphing calculator that allows you to add and subtract and find the answer for thes e functions. This will help you understand what you need to work with.There are a lot of different ways to help with abstract algebra. Some people prefer to teach it in small groups. Others find that group discussions are helpful.

The Fight For Diversity In Economics Teaching

The Fight For Diversity In Economics Teaching Rethinking Economics Degrees ChaptersThe Economics Syllabus in Many U.K. Universities is Under FireWhat Alternative Economics Theories and Topics Should Be Taught?If you’ve already begun to look at potential universities where you can study an undergraduate economics degree, you may have noticed that there’s a lot in common between some courses.While universities will have their own set of entry requirements, including minimum grades and subject combinations at A-Level to apply, there are some strong similarities between some course modules taught across the U.K.For example, it’s not uncommon for undergraduate economics degrees to focus on core topics, including areas such as:Macroeconomics;Microeconomics; andEconometricsAlthough each university will have other modules on offer, ranging from quantitative economics to the history of economic thought, there is often significant overlap in the actual content taught by universities, although each university’s department will admittedly teach these areas in t heir own way, based on each lecturer’s own expertise and research.As we will see below, while economics degree courses have been very similar in terms of core content throughout the U.K. for a number of years, there are many voices, from both students and institutions alike, who are calling for changes to be made in how economics is taught.Too little focus on the ethical considerations and consequences of economic policies; andToo little focus on the history of economic thought, including major events such as the Great Depression.Although the report released by the society could just be dismissed as insignificant, the Post-Crash Economics Society has received support in their endeavours from a number of prominent figures within the economics arena, including figures such as:Victoria Chick, a post-Keynesian economist;Dr Stephen Davies, Head of Education at the Institute of Economic Affairs; andHa-Joon Chang, an economist and specialist in development economics.There have also been similar groups appear at other universities across the U.K. that are advocating changes to how economics is taught at university.What’s more, Andrew Haldane, the chief economist at the Bank of England, wrote the foreword to the society’s report. So by all accounts, it seems as though the Post-Crash Economics Society has raised some serious, and legitimate, worries about the current state of economics university education in the U.K.The chief economist at the Bank of England has called for changes to the economics syllabus at universities. (Source: CC BY-SA 2.0, George Rex, Flickr)What Alternative Economics Theories and Topics Should Be Taught?There are many other schools of economic thought that can be taught throughout an economics degree. Some typical examples include:Post-Keynesian economics;Institutional economics;Marxist economics; andEcological economics.Although some schools of thought may have more traction today than others, it makes sense that an economics course shoul d teach a wide range of economic opinions and theories. After all, economics, at its core, is more of a social science, and so no one theory can be said to be absolute.Just like in history, where versions of historical events can differ, depending on which historian you ask, so too can economists interpret economic data and events in different ways.Having an appreciation of different points of view is therefore not only crucial to understanding economics as a whole, but it also gives students insight into analysing and considering different points of view â€" something which they will undoubtedly encounter in their day to day lives, both at and after university.Such skills are also appreciated by employers, as students that have a broader understanding of their degree subject should be able to bring greater analytical skills to the table in their new role.The Flaw in Neoclassical Economic TheoriesAnother reason why there are increasing calls for changes to university economics cours es is also the fact that many neoclassical economic theories and models are based on the assumption that individuals operate and make decisions in rational ways when numerous studies have shown that this is not necessarily the case.Indeed, behavioural economics, another field within economics, often operate on the assumption that individuals are imperfect economic agents â€" an assumption which goes against many established neoclassical models. However, sometimes accepting that individuals can be irrational can help to better analyse and understand economic decision making.The financial crisis in 2008 led many to question whether universities should be rethinking economics in terms of how it's taught. (Source: CC0 1.0, geralt, Pixabay)Understanding Alternative EconomicsArguably, economic schools of thought other than neoclassical economics, such as post-Keynesian economics, should not really have to be referred to as “alternative economics.” Yet many universities do not place mu ch emphasis on such schools of thought, which marginalises them as a result, even if their theories are of equal value and are worth studying.While it's unclear whether calls for changes to the economics courses at U.K. universities will be made, it's important to realise that some areas of economics will continue to be taught at university.This includes topics such as:Monetary policy;Macroeconomics, including areas such as unemployment;What causes economic growth and increased economic wealth;Fundamental economic models and concepts, from financial economics to the world economy.This is because these areas remain core to students' understanding of economics as a field, and help equip graduates with at least a basic understanding of what makes economies, whether local or global, tick.If you are looking to study economics at university, or you are a current undergraduate student, you may want to find out more about these schools of thought, or at least to understand economic history in greater detail.If these are topics you would like to learn more about, then there are online resources you can turn to that can help broaden your horizons. The Post-Crash Economic Society, for examples, lists a selection of diverse blogs on their website, which you could read at your leisure to improve your understanding of different, perhaps underappreciated, areas of economics, such as post-Keynesian economics.Another option is to hire an economics tutor to help teach you about marginalised economic areas if you aren't able to study them at school or university. There are Economic tutors out there that have experience with a variety of schools of economic thought, and they would be happy to share their knowledge with you. Superprof, for example, has a variety of economics tutors with a range of experience and specialisms.So if you'd like to learn about anything in the wider world of economics, from international economics or the history of economic thought, a tutor can really h elp you maximise your potential and your academic performance. Just enter in your postcode and Superprof will match you with suitable tutors in your area, regardless of whether you'd prefer online tuition lessons or face to face tutoring.Look for economics jobs for graduates here.See information about studying Economics without  Maths.

Your Professional Field Guide to Be a Rockstar Introvert (Part 1) - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Your Professional Field Guide to Be a Rockstar Introvert (Part 1) - Introvert Whisperer Your Professional Field Guide to Be a Rockstar Introvert (Part 1) Finally, Introverts are getting into the mainstream of the collective consciousness. Books and articles are now springing up on the topic and just now, I saw a retreat for Introverts. It’s a good time to be an Introvert. The biggest issue I have with most things I read on the subject of being an Introvert is the translating all of that into practical, useable advice. If I’m an Introvert, I want to know not only “What does this mean to me?” but also “What do I do with this  information that will help me with [fill in the blank]?” Most of the time, when we take an assessment, theres this big “so what?” factor that comes along with it. With the advent of the Internet,  personality assessments abound. Who doesn’t like to hear more about themselves? But once you know what youre classified as, it then begs the question of  what good that information is to you. Even if you haven’t taken an assessment and have only surmised your personality type, what does that mean in the day-to-day arc of your life or career? The short answer is: not much. It’s like learning about the formation of granite: interesting, but does it do anything at all to change your behavior, make a difference in your career or advance a cause? Again, no. Knowing youre a specific personality type does you no good if you can’t do something useful with the information. (Like this thought? Tweet it!) So in this post, Id like to give you both insight into your personality as an  Introvert and how it works on the job. The Introvert Personality The central concept to understanding our personality is the use of our energy. When I first heard that, it really didn’t mean much to me. I’m sure someone else reading this has the same reaction. (We just didn’t connect the dots.) Energy in the context of your personality means the personal energy it takes to do something, even if all youre doing is setting in a meeting. Think about going to a daylong seminar or even a project you work on all day. It’s the kind of thing that really has no physical expenditure but nevertheless, at the end of the day, youre pooped. Not because you used your energy to move around, but because your brain was working overtime to soak up all of the value you were there to obtain. Rarely does anyone talk about the fact that your brain uses up energy almost faster than a good workout at the gym. It turns out the primary difference between an Extravert and an Introvert is how their energy is created and spent. For an Extravert, their battery is recharged through their environment or “outside” of their head. The things you commonly equate with an Extravert, like speaking more than we do, are  an energizing activities for them, as is being interactive with others. For an Introvert, those very things can suck the life out of us. Our energy is restored inside our head through more internally focused things like working on a solitary project, listening to music or reading. When we are around others or interact with others, it spends our energy. If you begin with this basic understanding of energy creation and expenditure, it starts to make abundant sense when you then start equating energy to some of the behavior that goes with it. Below is a quiz I developed to help you  self-identify your personality type. Its also designed to show the contrast between Extraverts (E) and Introverts (I). I should point out that you have other facets to your personality than just Introvert and Extravert, but we are only focusing on those two right now. Personality Orientation Assessment Instructions:   This is a “forced choice” assessment, meaning at each line, you should select the statement that is truer for you or reflects you more than the other statement. You will notice the other statement may apply to you as well, but you must pick the one that applies to you the most  between the two. Scoring: Once youve made a selection for each line, tally your  X’s in the left column and in  the right column. This should give you a good idea of which type you are. X if yes Extravert X if yes Introvert Attuned to external environment or things surrounding you Drawn to inner world or thoughts, memories, information, ideas and impressions Prefer to communicate by talking Prefer to communicate in writing Work out ideas by talking them through Work out ideas by reflecting on them Learn best through doing or discussing Learn best by reflection, mental “practice” Have broad interests Focus in-depth on your interests Sociable and expressive Private and contained Readily take initiative in work and relationships Take initiative when the situation or issue is very important to you Energized by interacting with people and speaking Energized by yourself Oriented to people and action Oriented to thoughts and feelings Active Reflective Use trial and error with confidence Consider deeply before acting Scan the environment for stimulation Find stimulation inwardly Lively, energetic, seek spotlight Calm, enjoy solitude, seek the background Interactive, want contact, listen and speak Onlooker, prefer space, read and write Want to belong, broad circle, join groups Seek intimacy, one-on-one, find individuals Demonstrative, easier to know, self-revealing Controlled, harder to know, private Sociable, congenial, introduce people Reserved, low-key, are introduced Gregarious, expressive Quiet, contained Initiating, enthusiastic Receiving, intimate Now that youve taken this brief assessment, you should be in “so what?” mode. Never fear, read on The first thing to notice is that more than likely, you had some X’s in both columns. While the Meyers-Briggs folks believe youre either one or the other personality type, I’m in the camp that says you are “mostly” one or the other. That means you aren’t always consistently behaving as an Introvert. You may have moments when youre a bit more “E,” and vice  versa. There is also a vital but little-known aspect to our personalities, and that is versatility. It turns out that as we travel through life situations, we learn we must adapt to the situation in order for it to produce the best results. We aren’t always aware we are adapting; when you adapt enough to various situations, it becomes fairly automatic. As an Introvert, we learn in which situations  we can be more chatty or demonstrative without sucking up all of our battery life, like when were  with our family. As Darwin said, “Change is central to our existence.” Which means that both the “E” and “I” do adapt, and the ones who  adapt the best the most frequently and the soonest will be the most successful in life and work. You can probably think of people whose personality is rigid, and you know these are the people having the greatest difficultly and who are usually seriously unhappy. Take heart if you are one of those rigid people! (Or even slow to learn to adapt.) Adapting is a learned skill. Some people who are particularly self-aware pick up adaptation skills very naturally. For the rest of us, we can learn to adapt. What you may have thought was the domain of some very lucky people is now yours, should you choose to do so. I’m going to really dive deep into adaptations, but first, it’s important to dispel some Introvert myths. Myths and Misconceptions 1. Social Anxiety Is Part of the Introvert  Personality When it comes to our personality type, there are a lot of notions attached to it that aren’t entirely correct. What I’m speaking of is when you hear any of the following traits: Shy Anti-social Dislikes people Reclusive If you take Webster’s definition of an Introvert, those things are certainly characteristics you could include. Webster’s definition and synonyms: Reserved and shy Turned in upon itself: marked by being wholly or predominantly concerned with and interested in ones own mental life Bashful, coy, demure, modest, diffident, retiring, sheepish When people speak broadly about Introverts as  shy and antisocial, they aren’t entirely correct. There are other things going on with a person besides  their personality. Usually a shy person suffers from social anxiety and may be systemic to being Anti-Social. So, yes, you could attach those elements to the word Introvert, but not to the personality of Introvert. This may be a bit of a fine distinction, but I think it is a distinction worth noting. I point  this out is because your personality is a given, just like your eye color. Social anxiety is developed for a variety of reasons and is something that can be reduced with focus and professional help. You can’t change your personality, but like social anxiety, if you have problems with your behavior that are  driven by your personality, you can make some adaptations or changes to improve your situation. In other words, both the issues that stem from  Social Anxiety and the issues that stem from the Introvert personality have solutions, but they are different. There are many other mental health diagnoses that have these characteristics. I think that like many things, when you start seeing the more extreme examples of behavior, you aren’t talking about a personality as much as you’re talking about a disorder. My point is that some people mistakenly think if youre an Introvert, it’s a problem or something that needs to be fixed. If it’s your personality you need to appreciate that there is nothing wrong with you. If youre suffering from  social anxiety and it’s impacting your life, you may want a professional to help you. It’s interesting, if not slightly unfortunate that no other MBTI personality seems to have the baggage associated with them that  Introverts do. Oh well. 2. Introverts Cant Perform in Some Professional Occupations This  myth really bothers me, especially as a career coach. Granted, there are some occupations Introverts  may be more drawn to, but I’ve seen highly successful Introverts in all occupations. I’ve seen them  as managers, leaders, sales people, actors, teachers, doctors and police.  An array of Introverts are captains of industry, including Warren Buffet and Bill Gates. President Obama, who is at the highest post politically in the US, is also an Introvert. There is simply no merit to the myth that we can’t be successful in all jobs. It’s just not true. To summarize, there is no right or wrong when it comes to personality type, and theres certainly nothing wrong with being an Introvert. Unfortunately, the word Introvert itself does seem to have “problems” associated with it, but I guess that is our burden to bear. Now that you know a little about how being an Introvert affects you in the workplace, stay tuned for next weeks post in which well discuss how you can change or adapt your Introvert tendencies for better career success. Go to top What does being an Introvert mean to  you? Share your thoughts in the comments! Image:  Flickr Do you know what your next career step is?   Many people don’t. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook on how to construct your Career SMART Goals â€" that will help you put together your actions and keep you accountable.   Get your copy now and start your action plan today: CLICK HERE Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleash your professional potential.

Financial Auditing

Financial Auditing What Is Financial Auditing? ChaptersDefining A Financial AuditFinancial Auditor: A ProfessionPreparation For A Financial AuditIf you work in the accountancy department in any business, you will surely have heard of the terms: financial auditing and auditing procedures.Furthermore, if you are a student working towards a public accountant qualification then this subject will no doubt have cropped up during the course of your accounting course curriculum.If you have a fair idea of what an audit is, then you can probably hazard a guess at what compliance auditing as a process means. However, as an accountant, accuracy is absolutely key so let us educate you on exactly what a financial audit entails and its purpose. DevanshAccounting Teacher 4.90 (31) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OmarAccounting Teacher 5.00 (10) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JaniceAccounting Teacher 4.80 (5) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DorothyAccounting Teacher 5.00 (7) £40/h1st lesson free!Dis cover all our tutors AmirAccounting Teacher 5.00 (5) £80/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors BickyAccounting Teacher 5.00 (58) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NaimishAccounting Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MikeAccounting Teacher 5.00 (6) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsDefining A Financial AuditAccounting professionals would advise that a financial audit is an independent and objective evaluation of a company's finances and reporting processes. Its main purpose is to provide assurance to managers, directors, investors and regulators that the financial processes are accurate and in accordance with regulations.A financial audit acts as assurance to banks and investors that a business' finances are justifiable. Photo credit: masochismtango on Foter.comFinancial auditing is a term that is heard primarily in the business world and is usually conducted by an individual body.Why Is Financial Auditing Necessary?Financial audits were introduced to detect fraud and to implement finance accountability. However, at one time, it was internal managers who used to produce audit reports, which is not very ethical.Over time, physical inspections of inventory became mandatory to minimise illegal operations, and it became a regulation that companies appointed an external company to audit their finances.As this area has developed over the years, experts in the field expect it to continue to grow and to implement more sophisticated methods of keeping on top of financial accuracy. More regulatory control will come into place thanks to the advancement of technology (particularly automation and outsourcing), and foresee the regularity of audit timing to increase.It is believed that auditors may need to be better educated on technology and analytical methods if these changes are to  take place.As the rule goes, you need an audit if you are a publicly held company or intend to be in the future. You will need auditin g documentation for the first year that your business has its initial public offering (IPO) as well as for all subsequent years thereafter.In addition, if you accept funding from banks or investors in the way of repayable or non-repayable loans, you have a duty to have an audit and allow them access to the reports. Some banks will require an audit if they consider you high risk. Finally, you may want a voluntary audit because it shows your company's diligence and will make it easier to apply for loans or funding in the future.You can find managerial accounting lessons with a private tutor here.What makes up the financial audit?The procedure of carrying out a financial audit involves a number of phases.These include planning the audit to be conducted, determining how finances are controlled internally, testing and evaluating the compliance, and reporting the findings.See further details on the four key phases of financial auditing below:PlanningFirstly, the independent organisation w ill come up with a plan of action that will involve the method they will collect data to form an opinion about the company's financial situation. Usually, a sample reflecting a point in time in the life of the company is collected and financial transactions and documents related to this period are then looked at.Internal controlsThe next step involves taking a look at the internal controls of the organisation. The auditor will meet with managers and directors to demand information, look closely at records, and watch financial procedures in action. This means that the entire Accounts department could be involved in the reporting process. Without seeing how the department works, the auditor cannot give a true statement about the financial status of the organisation.TestingThe penultimate phase, testing, means checking whether the internal controls are working or not. An auditor requests more details about the goings on within the company returns to the company for more inspections (so metimes frequent visits are necessary), and watches how financial procedures are being performed in-house. If the evidence demonstrates the correct compliance, the auditor determines that the company is accurate in their ability to successfully detect and prevent errors.One of the key phases of financial auditing is reporting findings. Photo credit: kenteegardin on Foter.com /ReportingFinally, once the three stages above have been completed, the auditor gives a conclusion on how the company adheres to regulated accounting standards. The audit usually offers one of the following conclusions: an unqualified approval, a qualified approval, a disclaimer, or an adverse finding. The first is considered as the best result possible and the last is the worst possible outcome.Financial Auditor: A ProfessionIndependent financial auditors are professional individuals who are not on the payroll of your company and do not have a stake in your business' outcome. It is vital that auditors are compl etely unbiased as they carry out their investigations, as they have a duty to report their findings morally and legally. Financial auditors can perform an external or an internal audit for you.Who fits the bill for becoming a financial auditor?Do you fit the profile of an accountant or auditor? Photo credit: JonoMueller on Foter.comAs an auditor, your responsibility will be to provide an independent guarantee that an organisation's risk management, governance and control processes are up to scratch by using investigation methods, which means that the findings often fall on your shoulders alone.Auditing can also include a consulting service, advising management on how to improve their systems and processes, so it is vital that the individual has much expertise on the subject and can offer valid information that is relative to the company and its financial dealings.The work of an internal auditor differs to that of external auditors as they look at more than just financial and account ing risks.Check out the best accounting softwares here.The Responsibilities Of An AuditorWhile responsibilities may vary from organisation to organisation, your main duties will involve the following (taken from the Prospects job profile page):attending meetings with auditeestravelling to different sites to meet relevant staff and obtain documents and informationresearching and assessing how well risk management processes are working and recording the results using software such as Microsoft Word and Excelproviding ad hoc advice and guidance to managers and staff at all levels, sometimes by delivering courses and training sessionsperforming risk assessments on key business activities and using this information to guide what should be covered in auditsanticipating emerging issues through research and interviews and deciding how best to deal with themproviding support and guidance to management on how to handle new opportunitiesagreeing recommendations with relevant staff members to m ake improvements to operations and helping to secure backing for them in meetingspreparing reports to highlight issues and problems and distributing the reports to the relevant peopleassessing how well the business is complying to rules and regulations and informing management of any issues that need addressingmanaging a variety of stakeholders and their expectations through regular communications.Suitable candidates must show that they are able to use their own initiative, as they will be working independently much of the time. However, they will also get the chance to interact with other members of audit committees. They must also have a great eye for detail, be analytical, have strong ethics and sound judgement, be a great communicator, be highly organised, able to work in pressurised situations and be flexible.While you will most probably work normal office hours, there may be some overtime required.Many auditing jobs are based in London and other big cities, but as so many orga nisations need internal auditing, opportunities are available in smaller towns as well. Professional auditors will be expected to look the part and follow the usual business dress code.What Qualifications Are Required?This career is open to most college or university graduates but a degree, foundation degree, diploma or other qualification in one of the following subjects may be considered beneficial and could help you to secure future promotions:accountancyeconomicsfinanceITAs a professional in the accounting field, you will need to be up to speed with key financial terms like financial statements, government auditing standards, revenue, fiscal year, stakeholder, misstatement, accounting principles, taxes, disclosure, international standards, year-end, assurance services, audit risk, financial records, corrective action, bookkeeping, liability and shareholder, to name but a few!How Much Does A Financial Auditor Earn?Newly qualified internal auditors can expect to earn salaries of b etween £22,000 to £35,000 while those with more experience can raise this to £32,000 to £53,000 per annum.Managers or directors often earn in excess of £70,000.Preparation For A Financial AuditFinancial audits are not small or insignificant affairs.Money and its appropriate use can make or break your business and its reputation, so being well-prepared for your audit is very important. That said, if you know that your financial dealings are completely ethical then you should have nothing to worry about.It is important to know that even the smallest financial oversight can send you to prison, as it is your duty to be compliant with regulations. This is why financial audits are critical and quite daunting at the same time.As a company director, you should read up on why financial audits are necessary as you will then learn that their primary purpose is to prove that you are doing your job correctly. Auditors are on your side, so long as you are working ethically!If you want to lea rn more, why not check out our other accounting-based blogs about accounting basics,  key accounting concepts, basic accounting terminology, how to read a profit and loss sheet, and double-entry bookkeeping and accounting principles.

How about summer tutoring program for English learners

How about summer tutoring program for English learners 0SHARESShare Does your child require some extra tutoring in English then summer tutoring program is the better way out to fill up academic gaps and move ahead in next academic year. You can register your child in online summer course. Out of all other summer camp activities, children often prefer to take English classes. The program is designed to offer students with an educational experience that will foster growth in learning English as second language. English online program is designed to provide opportunities for new learning experiences by giving practice to children in reading, writing and conversation in English. The program emphasis on vocabulary building, grammar exercise, creative writing skills, building conversational skills, participation online discussion, forums, talk about, and lot more English online tutors will expect students to speak and talk in English especially this goes with non-English speakers. They prepare children to frame their views, share and talk about current happenings.   They work out strategy to gear up children towards elementary ELLs, may it be adapted for older students. They also familiarize children with academic content based on age and education background. English summer program perform continuous assessment to evaluate the improvement of the student in English language. Each child registered in summer program is tested where the evaluation is reported in a progress card. Finally, each of them gets a program participation certificate from the summer activity tutor. Summer schools are great fun and learning for both student and tutor. The time is too short, but summer camp definitely helps students in very positive way both academically and personally. [starbox id=admin]

New maths 9-1 GCSE

New maths 9-1 GCSE Tutor Adam S, a qualified teacher and specialist in GCSE mathematics, explains all you need to know about the new maths 9-1 GCSE providing sample papers as well as insight into the exam  and grade boundaries. ...... May 2017 is the first year that the new maths 9-1 GCSE will be examined. A common question I have been asked by students and parents is ‘where can I find past papers to practice?’ and ‘what will the grade boundaries be?’ The aim of this post is to examine the syllabus and answer both questions. The papers Currently there is a limited set of papers available for the new maths 9-1 GCSE. Just click on the appropriate link below to find a pdf of the exam you would like to complete. Edexcel:                 OCR                              AQA S1 S2 S3                  S1 S2 S3 S4                Papers,  Answers The Tiers Grade 9 is now the highest that you can achieve, grade 8 the next highest and so on. The higher tier runs from grade 9-4, and the foundation tier runs from grade 5-1. It is important for your child to know if they are taking the higher or foundation tier paper as the content is different for both. They can ask their school teacher which tier they are entered for if they don’t know already. Since there are no past papers for this exam, I am advising all my students to complete all the sample paper sets for each of the exam boards to help prepare. The mathematical content in each exam board is broadly the same as are the style of questions despite small differences. It’s all maths! There are 3 exams in each sample set; 2 calculator and 1 non-calculator. This is the same structure that your child’s Maths GCSE will be. It is so important to focus on these sample papers instead of the past papers for the old GCSE because there is new content in the 2017 GCSE that is not in the old papers. The style of questions is also very different. Instead of practicing from past papers, I would advice a combination of the sample papers (linked above), and the 9-1 GCSE Edexcel textbook which can be found with a simple google or amazon search. Many schools have not adopted this book yet and I cannot attest enough to the usefulness of a book rammed with questions of the new style for every single topic and answers at the back. In my opinion it is best used in combination with a tutor / teacher / knowledgeable parent and a revision guide that has clear explanations and is specific to your exam board (CGP for example). Grade boundaries What percentage do you need to achieve a grade 9 in maths GCSE? How about a grade 5? These questions are difficult to answer and school teachers giving vague non-committal answers to this question are doing so because we can only really guess at this point. No one knows exactly what the grade boundaries are - it will depend on how difficult the papers are that are given in the summer. Having said this, we do have some clues from the government as to how many students will receive each grade, which means anyone can predict what grade they are currently working at and what grade they are likely to achieve on the 9 to 1 scale. Using past papers, we can calculate what grade you are currently at. To predict accurately what grade your child is currently at, they can complete 3 past papers from their exam board and work out their grade from the grade boundaries for that paper. You can find grade boundaries for the specific papers you have completed on the exam board website. Once you have the grades for those 3 papers, you can match them to the number grade by using the image above. Bear in mind that if your child gets a C, that will equate to a high 4 or a low 5. A high C will be a grade 5, and a low C will be a grade 4 (the bottom 66% to be exact according to ofqual and Edexcel board). So most students achieving a C on the old paper will achieve a grade 4 on the new paper. In addition to using past papers to see where your child is at, I have brought together analysis from maths teachers from different schools to come up with predicted grade boundaries for the Edexcel 9-1 sample papers: Higher Tier Level, %                             (marks out of 80) 9                     91%                                           (73) 8                     79%                                           (63) 7                     64%                                           (52) 6                     53%                                           (43) 5                     41%                                             (33) 4                     30%                                           (24) Foundation Tier Level           %                     (marks out of 80) 5                       78%                                           (63) 4                     67%                                           (54) 3                     56%                                           (45 Although I had a lot of fun making these grade boundaries and would love for you to use them to grade your own sample papers, take the results with a pinch of salt as they are predictions based on sample sizes of individual schools which is small compared to the number of students there are in the UK. Good luck and happy exam preparations! ..... If you have any questions for Adam S or would like him as a tutor for your child, please send him a message through his profile. Alternatively, on the Tutorfair website enter your postcode and Tutorfair will show you GCSE Maths tutors in your area, with the top rated tutors! Checkout out more  Tutorfair blogs  here: Five Strategies to improve Academic Performance Dyslexia Resources: a Guide for Parents

Making a Prediction In English

Making a Prediction In English In todays class, we are going to learn how to make a prediction in English and speculate. We are not going to look at the basic will and is going to. We will show you other ways to engage in conversation about the future, to give your opinion and guess. Lets first look at some of the expressions we can use to give predictions below. As you can see, moving to the right of the diagram, the likelihood of the event happening becomes more possible:Learning How To Make A Prediction In EnglishLearning How To Make A Prediction: Listening ExerciseDid you get that? Great. Now, lets look at this great trailer for a movie that came out earlier this year-Arrival. Listen carefully and get your pen ready, because were about to  do an  exercise to  practice your listening skills. As always, write your comments below and we will get back to you!You are at the top of everyones ___________ when it comes to translations.Thats what they are calling the _____________.Every ______________ hours a door open s up. Thats _________  we go in.Were __________ _________ _____ be able to speak their words.We need to make sure they understand the difference between a _________ and a  ______________.Learning How To Make A Prediction In English: Gap FillNow that youve finished that exercise, I think that you will be able to make some predictions about the movie. So, lets start with some sentences that I want you to complete with the expression you think is most accurate from the diagram above.The movie is ___________________ be about a translator trying to communicate with aliens.There is ________________ the movie is about two dogs and their friendship.It _____________  that the aliens will attack all humans.Amy Adams (the main actress) _______________ make friends with the aliens and go to Mars.Learning How To Make A Prediction In English: PracticeNow that weve made predictions and speculated about what Arrival is about, lets try to become detectives! Detectives solve crimes by looking at cl ues to find the person responsible, and we have a crime for you to solve today-Mr. Brown has been murdered!First, lets look at the crime scene below:When you are walking outside of your office, you notice Mr.Brown on the floor. He is dead! Terrible news. But as you look to the right, you notice something strange (right image). What is it? What does this mean about the killer? Write your comment below using the expressions we used earlier in the class.But wait, there are further clues to the mystery. do you have any ideas about what happened?As you are leaving the crime scene to go home, you find an empty bottle on the floor! What are your final conclusions about what could have happened? Write your thoughts  below and well  see who would make the best detective!Learning How To Make A Prediction In English: SummaryWe hope you enjoyed todays post. Sign up today for a trial class and an opportunity to try out your new English skill!