Monday, March 23, 2020

The Benefits of Buying a Secondhand Guitar

The Benefits of Buying a Secondhand Guitar Tips For Buying a Used Guitar at the Best Price Possible ChaptersThe Advantages of Choosing a Second-Hand GuitarThe Guitar's Brand and ModelThe Price of a Second-Hand GuitarWhere Can One Buy a Used Guitar?Check the Guitar's General StateTest Out Your New Guitar!A Quick Guide to Buying Other Guitar Equipment SecondhandYou watch that Guns N' Roses concert for the hundredth time and you tell yourself you'd love to play the guitar like them.Okay, but you don't know how to play the guitar!You'd like to start learning and you feel totally capable of learning by ear instead of spending money on private guitar lessons, such as bass guitar lessons  or guitar lessons online.It's out of the question that you walk into the first music store you see and buy a new Stratocaster with flames on it--your budget won't allow that!What if it was possible to find a used guitar without breaking the bank and being sure of its quality? How do you not get ripped off by the person selling you his or her instrument? How do you ensure that the fingerboard is of good q uality, or the headstock is in good condition? How do you ensure that this acoustic electric would actually work if you plugged it into an amp? How do you make sure that the guitar pickups, the humbucker perhaps, works?Well, we'd like to talk about the benefits of looking at second-hand electric guitars, acoustic guitars, and classical guitars. And we'd like you to trust the random guitarists that you are discussing buying from.Ready to start up your career as a guitarist?What price should the guitar be? Here is some advice on how to choose and buy your second hand instrument calmly while discovering the joys of being a rockstar (no guarantee on becoming a rockstar)!LetGo and Wallapop.In all cases, have a look to see if the seller is offering anything with the instrument - hardshell guitar cases for instances - and whether the instrument is stringed or whether you will need to buy new accessories.Think of music schools, too! You'll find ads posted on local music school boards, right near ads for musicians.Check the Guitar's General StateThat's it: you chose your guitar, found your ad, the price is right---and now you have to meet the seller.Make sure the guitar of your dreams is really the guitar of your dreams in real life!If you are a beginner and this is your first purchase, have someone with more experience--like a talented guitarist or music teacher--help if possible.There are three main guitar parts to check before buying your used guitar: the head, the neck, and the body.The HeadCheck the mechanics are not too worn. For this, tune the guitar and play it a little. If it quickly gets out of tune, it may be the result of bad mechanics.Also check that the nut is not cracked. That said, this piece is inexpensive if you have to change it. You can find it for less than 5 USD.The NeckThe handle should be straight and the frets flat and in good condition.  Also check that the heel does not show any trace of glue.Remember to check that the strings do not curl (do you know how much guitar strings cost?)--that is to say they do not touch the frets when you play. If they do touch the frets, either the nut is worn or the handle is damaged due to poor storage. In any case, this is a bad sign - it will affect the intonation and your ability to enjoy techniques like vibrato.The BodyYou can see when the varnish is in good condition. If it's not, you can use it as an element that will allow for price negotiation if there are some scratches present on the guitar, for example. Be careful there are no real cracks or dents in the wood.There is a difference between signs of play wear around the rosette and sound hole and real problems due to unwanted falls and bangs into furniture. Hollow body guitars are delicate - and if they are broken, that's the end.The most important thing is to check that the bridge is well glued to the soundboard. It plays a vital role in how the guitar sounds.If you choose an electric guitar or electro-acoustic guitar, remember to check the status of the microphone and buttons: there should not be any strange or unwanted sounds.Test Out Your New Guitar!Test the guitar to be sure to find the one of your dreams!  Besides the fact that you may find defects whilst playing it, this is the instrument you will spend countless hours with, and you have to be sure it is the perfect one for you!Is the feeling good? Does the sound please you? Do your fingers fit well with it?  Remember to test it in all playing positions: sitting and standing.  How comfortable you will be whilst you play is very important. You will spend many hours on it, and it will depend on how pleasant it is for you to use.Also consider your build: if you have small hands, the guitar size should be 1/2 or 3/4.For sound, ask a more experienced guitarist or guitar teacher for advice if you are not sure.Is the sound good? If it's an electric guitar, does it spit?A Quick Guide to Buying Other Guitar Equipment SecondhandBy the way, you can perhaps nego tiate some accessories with the guitarist seller:a drum machine,a pedal board (with individual reverb, resonator, tremolo, overdrive, synthesizer, mesa boogie, condenser effect pedal)footswitch, fender,a protective film or hard casea charger,a guitar coverguitar amps?It's up to you to see! However, you might want to just buy one of these straight up. As with the musical instrument itself, you might benefit from going second hand. The secondhand market is not all about vintage guitars - that Fender guitar or Gibson acoustic, that Fender American Standard or jazz guitar.Rather, you can get anything you please - and as you long as you use the same shrewdness as you did with your guitar, there is no reason why you can't get a great deal too.A vintage amp might be just the kind of thing you are looking to be thrown into your sale!In conclusion, buy a second-hand guitar! All you need is to check a few important points before the guitar will become an extension of yourself.Now that you hav e all the information necessary, you just have to get started on finding the guitar of your dreams out there in the second-hand market.And if it's your first time strumming your baby, don't forget that we offer guitar lessons everywhere in the U.S.A :-)

Friday, March 6, 2020

A Guide to Personal Trainer Marketing

A Guide to Personal Trainer Marketing How to Market Yourself to Become a Personal Trainer ChaptersSimple Tips to Improve Your Marketing Strategy and Grow Your Business as a Fitness InstructorLearning About “Personal Branding” for your Personal Training BusinessLearn Search Engine Optimisation to Improve Your Digital Marketing StrategiesFind Strategic Partners to Boost Awareness of Your ProductSet Up a Referral Rewards Marketing CampaignEncourage Client Fidelity With Promotional OffersOnly too often, we imagine personal trainers as the big, muscle-bound type with inflated muscles, popping steroids and protein pills to butch up…Reality is another story: a personal trainer is in the wellness business, using his or her specific knowledge and skill sets to motivate their client, support them physically and emotionally and help them achieve their fitness goals.A personal fitness instructor is there to guide their clients toward self-fulfilment and helps them accomplish what they set out to do.Come to think of it, you could do with a few clients to guide and help, couldn†™t you? Having clients is a basic requirement when starting a personal training business.Superprof’s mini-guide to establishing yourself as a home fitness trainer is here to help you with the marketing strategies and networking tactics to help you establish a client base get your new business on its feet.share a space. You can also ask existing studios if you can rent their space - saving on some equipment costs - or if a fitness centre will let you work with private clients on their premises.Also discover what certifications personal trainers need to have...Even if it’s just a one-day event as part of their summer cookout, these are potential new clients just waiting to hear of your existence!Also look for influential partners with a large clientele of their own who would be likely to recommend you to people looking for a personal trainer - doctors, pharmacists, sports shops, real estate agents… Offer them a free session so they can tell their own clients all about you - and who knows, maybe you’ll gain a GP or a pharmacist as a client as well.You may also consider setting up a profile with Superprof. Superprof is a platform that specialises in helping to find jobs for ex teachers!Set Up a Referral Rewards Marketing CampaignOffer reduced rates or other promotional goodies (a free exercise mat, for example) to clients who recommend you to friends or family. A small business owner thrives on word-of-mouth, so make a referral rewards program part of your strategic marketing plan.Encourage clients to write testimonials for your website or post them on social media. You can sponsor contests through Facebook in which people enter by commenting or sharing your post.Encourage Client Fidelity With Promotional OffersOne universal adage of marketing is that it costs five times less to keep a client than to acquire a new one.So take good care of your loyal clientele!Some tips for rewarding loyal clientsThink about a rewards program for those who stick with you. A discount on a ten-session stamp card, for example; or you could offer little keychains or, even better, a step counter with your name on it so they think of you wherever they go.Take an example from this coffee shop - offer rewards to loyal customers of your personal trainer business. Photo credit: duncan on Visual HuntConsider an upgrade to “gold client” after three years, with discounts, free access to your exercise videos or a free nutrition consultation.Have a yearly client party so your clients meet new people and understand that you value their loyalty.Keeping Your Clients Outside of Marketing ChannelsEffective marketing aside, don’t forget that your clients are people and that the best way to keep them is to take care of them.Try to be flexible with scheduling and understanding of last-minute emergencies. Take the time to get to know them and adapt their personal training to their skills and needs.During a training session:Be kind and attentiveBe sympathetic - getting stress factors out in the open will give them a sense of release and allow them to concentrate on their trainingBe aware of what your client is saying - both out loud and with their body. Stress might be evident through tense muscles, tiredness through disjointed sentences.Make sure the workout stays safe and that they don’t injure themselves because they didn’t realise how stressed-out they really were.Create a calm atmosphere: use music or simply speak in a calm and measured voiceCreate an atmosphere of trust: call them by their first name, be cheerful and make small talkEncourage them and motivate them when they are experiencing difficultiesPraise them when they make progressThese simple strategies will help you grow and keep new clients. Superprof is ready to play its part in getting you known!Now discover this beginner's guide to being a personal trainer...

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Learn to Embroider With These Sewing Resources

Learn to Embroider With These Sewing Resources Learn Embroidery As a Beginner: Where Does It Come From And How To Get Started ChaptersA Brief History of EmbroideringBasic Materials For Beginner ProjectsBeginner Stitches and Embroidery TechniquesLearn to Embroider TutorialsEmbroidery Patterns for Your First ProjectsWhat sewing enthusiast hasn’t stood in awe in front of a 13th-century embroidered cope or richly-decorated Chinese court dress? Who hasn’t stared at the elaborate designs of 18th-century coats and admired the needlework? Not everyone who learns how to sew is interested in learning to embroider. Some are daunted by the variety of stitches while others prefer to keep their sewing simple. But if you are one of those who have always felt drawn to the world of painting in coloured thread, but don’t know where to start - this blog is for you. In Europe, the earliest pieces use stem stitch, chain stitch and split stitch. In Late Antiquity, the roundels and bands of decoration found on Coptic robes and vestments were sometimes embroidered using those techniques; remains of Dark Age embroideries show that couched goldwork was already used to make borders (such as on the outer garment of Merovingian queen Arnegunde, 6th century AD) and panels in a technique that mature into the rich Opus Anglicanum of the Middle Ages (the Maaseik embroideries, 10th century). Several techniques were used to make the amazing medieval wall hangings that have mostly survived from monasteries. The most famous of them all, the Bayeux tapestry, was made in a laid-and-couch method called Bayeux stitch or refilsaum, a technique otherwise common only in Scandinavia. Another couched stitch called Klosterstitch was popular in Northern Germany, while German brick stitch was used on tapestries, pillows, bags and pouches all over Europe. The most elaborate and beautiful techniques were:  Opus Teutonicum, a whitework and openwork technique used to make elaborate altar cloths for the period of Lent;or nué, a technique that uses the couching stitches over the gold thread to make designs, andOpus Anglicanum, a go ldwork technique that made England famous throughout Europe.Starting the Renaissance, more pieces have survived using a variety of different stitches for surface work. Blackwork was very popular in the Elizabethan period, whereas the 18th-century saw the rise of ribbon embroidery in France, a technique that soon spread to other countries along with French fashion. Tapestry or carpet-work became very popular in the 19th century, when cross-stitch slowly gained the popularity it knows today.Basic Materials For Beginner ProjectsEmbroidery needles, a hoop and embroidery cotton are some basic supplies to get started with. Photo credit: pinprick on Visual huntYou are learning how to sew and already have a stash of embroidery supplies - you’re ready to start embroidering, right? Not exactly. While if all you want to do is add little doodle flowers to a bag every few months, your normal sewing needle will do fine (though you will have a job threading it with embroidery floss), if you want to practice embroidery with anything like regularity you will have to invest in some embroidery tools. Fortunately, they are not very expensive.The right embroidery needlesTo start with, you should probably buy one or two chenille needles if you are working normal cloth; tapestry needles if you are working evenweave or thick fabric with a loose weave. Unless you invest in enough needles to have one for every colour you want to use on your beginner embroidery project, the large eye of chenille needles will save you a lot sweat and tears when threading, and is kinder on your embroidery floss if you are using it thick. Once you have mastered the basics you might want to try out crewel needles for finer work.Other embroidery suppliesAdditionally you will need:Embroidery scissors to snip as close to your work as possible. They are pretty and not too pricey and I use them to snip my plain sewing threads, too.An embroidery hoop or roller frame. You can use the tambour frame or embroidery hoop for most techniques such as cross-stitch or doodle stitching, but a roller frame is a must for silk stitching, goldwork and most counted stitch techniques with dense stitching.A needle roll or embroidery box to store your needles, scissors and extra thread you might need later on.Thread and fabricWhile you can embroider with almost any thread or wool (beginners should stay away from normal sewing thread, but you are more advanced you can used it for miniature projects such as dollhouse upholstery), embroidery floss was invented for a reason. Don’t go cheap - Anchor and DCM aren’t that expensive and embroidering with them is a dream.You can stitch onto any fabric, but a special evenweave embroidery fabric is perfect for beginner projects, as you know your stitches will be even. If you are doing cross-stitch, Aida fabric is a good choice.cross-stitch, petit point, bargello and Holbein. Of course, there are many more: buttonhole stitch, long-arm cross-stitch, Cretan stitch, sh eaf stitch…Embroider cushions and pillowcases with a variety of lovely embroidery stitches. Photo credit: The Stitch Up on Visual huntEmbroidery styles and techniquesFrom several simple stitches, each culture and region has elaborated very distinct embroidery styles, each with their own stunning visuals. From Hungarian redwork curtains to Japanese Shashiko embellishments for your patched trousers, there are hundreds of different techniques to discover and explore.Learn to Embroider TutorialsHesitant to hare off on your own? Need advice and tips for beginner embroiderers?Learn to embroider on your own“Embroidery for absolute Beginners” by Susie Johns starts with the basics of how to put your work in the hoop and transfer patterns and ends with taking care of your newly-embroidered totes and pillows. If you are looking for a wealth of different stitches, try out Lucinda Ganderton’s “Embroidery Stitches Step by Step”. If you are looking to learn a specific style of embroide ry, look to the Royal School of Needlework’s “Essential Stitch Guides” and “A-Z of…” titles.If you prefer to learn embroidery online (and for free), The Spruce and Needle ‘n Thread have easy-to-follow instructions on basic (and exotic) stitches and forays into international and historical embroidery styles.Embroidery classes and online lessonsEmbroidery lessons can be one-on-one or a class with a whole group of embroidery enthusiasts. Photo credit: City of Boston Archives on Visualhunt.comIf you want to devote three to five years to becoming a professional embroiderer, The Royal School of Needlework and the Manchester School of Art offer programs in embroidery and embroidery design. For beginner embroidery classes, you can try the Victoria and Albert Museum or the London Embroidery School.Don’t hesitate to go to your brick-and-mortar haberdashery to see if they offer beginner embroidery classes or sewing classes. Many do, or if they don’t they might have leaflets a dvertising an embroidery course near you.But if you can’t make it to sewing classes London or the other community centres offering embroidery courses, why not try to learn to embroider online? The Embroiderer’s Guild has a series of embroidery classes you can take; or if you are interested in historical embroidery, Thistle Threads offers online courses. Or why not try out a private tutor? Here at Superprof, you can choose your own private tutor for at-home or online needlework courses, including embroidery.Embroidery Patterns for Your First ProjectsYour local haberdasher’s can probably offer you a series of beginner embroidery kits to get you started on your first cross-stitch project. Commercial kits tend to focus on cross-stitch and needlepoint, but you can find some blackwork, redwork and crewelwork kits, too, if you know where to look.Embroidery kits are a good way to see if you like the hobby and want to keep up with it. Photo credit: merwing?little dear on Visual HuntThe Internet, of course, is filled with free embroidery patterns and charts. Just Google what you are looking for and you are sure to find something. But to get you started, we recommend you stop by The Spruce  or Needle ‘n Thread and look at their free downloadable patterns - you’re sure to find something there!

How Much Does A Physics And Maths Tutor Cost

How Much Does A Physics And Maths Tutor Cost Find A Maths And Physics Tutor That Won’t Break The Bank ChaptersKnow What Kind Of Physics Tutor You Would LikeHave An Idea Of Your Budget Before Hiring A Physics And Maths TutorTips To Save Money On TuitionConclusionThere are so many different reasons why you might want to enlist the help of a tutor. Whether you’re:Looking to improve your marks in your physics classes;Trying to get better at the numerical elements of physics, such as the formulae;Need some extra motivation to study; orWant to improve your overall academic performance,A physics tutor can be really beneficial.Although there are lots of wonderful reasons to study physics, many students that study physics find that the numerical elements of the subject can be challenging, whether that’s due to the number of formulae that you need to know, or the nature or complexity of certain topics.Consequently, such students can find it very helpful to enlist the help of a physics tutor that can also help them improve their overall skills in maths.This has a double benefit, as not only should the extra tuition in maths help you to improve in physics, but it may also help you to do better in your maths classes. Seeing as it is quite common for physics A-Level students to also study maths or even further maths at A-Level, having a tutor that could help you improve in two subjects is a bonus.While it can be difficult in the first instance to find a physics tutor, it’s equally difficult to know what price to pay for a good tutor. This article outlines how you should go about searching for a physics and maths  tutor for a price that works for you.Having a physics and maths tutor can really help you when it comes to the numerical elements of your physics studies. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, geralt, Pixabay)Having group tuition workshops rather than one on one lessons;Having shorter lessons, or having fewer than planned lessons; andAsking a tutor for a discount.Let’s take a look at these budget-friendly ideas below.Switching To Remote LessonsThe price a tutor charges ca n be influenced by where that tutor is located. For example, the average hourly cost of a tutor is likely to be higher in a city such as London compared to somewhere more rural, due to the higher cost of living.As a result, it might cost less to have a tutor provide you with online tutoring in cities or towns where the cost of living is high, for example, because the tutor won’t have to travel to visit you. Remote online tutoring can still be very effective, and with the reliability of broadband and applications such as Skype, it’s never been easier to communicate with a tutor online.Opting For Group TuitionAnyone looking to save some money on their tuition costs may also want to consider choosing group tuition over other tuition methods. This is because, with group workshops, the cost of the tuition session can be split between the attendees, which can lead to cheaper lessons overall.If you know of other people in your physics or maths classes who are interested in tutoring, th en you should be able to find people willing to attend a group lesson without too much difficulty.More than one physics and maths tutor offers group lessons, often at a discount!Having fewer lessons with a physics and maths tutor can help you to save money on tuition costs. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, obpia30, Pixabay)Cutting Down The Number Of LessonsAs stated above, a private tutor usually charges by the hour. As a result, if you can reduce how long you spend with your tutor, then the cost of tuition should reduce. This might mean that you cut lessons down to 45 minutes instead of one hour, or you only schedule 6 weeks’ worth of tuition in rather than the 8 you would have ideally had.Asking For A DiscountAlthough not every tutor will accept discounts, it doesn’t hurt to ask if a tutor is willing to work at a reduced rate. Ultimately, being upfront with a prospective tutor about your budget constraints will help you to find the right tutor for you at a price point you can afford.Co nclusionOverall, when looking at how much you should pay for a physics and maths tutor, there are a lot of variables to think about, such as how much tuition you want, what you’d like to gain out of such supplemental instruction, whether you’d like remote, one on one tutoring, or group lessons, and how experienced the tutor is.Once you have your budget in mind, the best thing that you can do is to consider the factors discussed above, and also take the time to shop around to find a tutor that’s right for you.Superprof, for instance, has a wide network of both physics and maths tutors, with a range of experience levels that offer a selection of in-person, small group, and online-only learning options.Looking through private tutoring sites such as Superprof should give you the best chance to browse between different tutors and ultimately select the best tutors that:Match your academic and financial needs;Can help you become more confident in your physics studies; andCan give you guidance and strategies to help you succeed during your exam.If you found this useful, why not check out our blogs on taking physics courses and what kind of job you can do with a physics degree!

Updating PHP for WordPress

Updating PHP for WordPress How to Update PHP to the Latest Version on Your WordPress ChaptersWhat’s the Relationship between PHP and WordPress?Which Version does WordPress Use?How Do You Change the Version on Your WordPress Site?How Often Is It Updated?“I am not the only person who uses his computer mainly for the purpose of diddling with his computer.” - Dave BarryWith over 18 million users in the world, WordPress is the world’s most popular CMS (content management system) for those wanting to make a website without losing their minds. However, some people decide to learn more about web programming and improving the functionality of their website.Configuring a web page, hosting a storefront, writing a script, installing a plugin, choosing a domain name, etc. creating a web site has never been easier.But which version of PHP should you use with WordPress?In this article, we'll look at how you can use PHP when you build a website, use WordPress (or any other site builder or CMS), upload photos, etc. CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesso n free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all o ur tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat’s the Relationship between PHP and WordPress?Before you start creating your dynamic website, you need to know what PHP is, how it ties in with WordPress, and how it’ll affect the functionality of your WordPress website.PHP can be used to modify websites. (Source: Pexels)What is PHP?PHP is a programming language created in the 1990s that allows you to create dynamic websites. Unlike static web pages, dynamic web pages can change depending on who’s looking at them or when they’re being accessed.PHP is used by many businesses and individuals. PHP is quite simple to use and accessible. You don’t need to have a degree in web development to code a pag e in PHP.Furthermore, PHP allows you to manage databases and welcome visitors to the same page at the same time. One of the biggest advantages of it is that its open-source. This means that anyone can use or modify it freely.What about WordPress?WordPress is also open source. Just like PHP, developers can transform this CMS and it evolves each year.A CMS is a content management system that allows you to create websites without knowing programming.You can create a site without knowing how to code in PHP, Java, HTML, etc.  This is a system that has made web design accessible to a large number of people. You can use it to create a website, blog, portfolio, etc.WordPress uses PHP coupled with a MySQL database. You can use it online or download the programme onto your computer. While a lot of sites aren’t made by using a CMS, WordPress sites make up almost a third of websites.How Do They Work Together?As we explained before, you don’t need to know PHP to create a WordPress site. Howe ver, if you want to modify or develop certain functions, you’ll need to know it.To modify your site with PHP, you can directly modify it or use a plugin (there are plugins like “Insert PHP” or “Allow PHP in Posts and Pages”). In this case, you just need to install the plugin and add your lines of code. You need to add headers so that they’ll correctly integrate. Don’t forget to change the design (font, colour, etc) so that it fits in.You should write your code into a notepad and then add them so you don’t get lost.Find out more about adding images with PHP.Which Version does WordPress Use?WordPress was created in the early 2000s. At the time, PHP was still in its infancy. The earliest WordPress users started with version 4 of PHP. PHP is now in its seventh version.WordPress finds reading code easier than you probably do. (Source: kuszapro)Version 7 arrived at the end of 2016. Over the years, it continued to change. Versions 7.2, 7.3, etc. WordPress improves its funct ionality with the latest version of PHP. WordPress currently uses version 7.Can you use other versions?On WordPress, they say:To run WordPress we recommend your host supports:PHP version 7.3 or greater.MySQL version 5.6 or greater OR MariaDB version 10.0 or greater.HTTPS supportYou can use other versions, but the site does mention:“[T]hese versions have reached official End Of Life and as such may expose your site to security vulnerabilities.”WordPress also have other recommendations for users:“We recommend Apache or Nginx as the most robust and featureful server for running WordPress, but any server that supports PHP and MySQL will do. That said, we can’t test every possible environment and each of the hosts on our hosting page supports the above and more with no problems.”How Do You Change the Version on Your WordPress Site?The best idea is to use PHP version 7. The latest version is 7.3.0. Using the latest version is good for your site’s security and ensures that it f unctions correctly.WordPress is regularly updated. (Source: pixelcreatures)Version 7 of PHP came after version 5 as version 6 was skipped by the developers.  Even though you can use older versions to create and modify WordPress websites, you run the risk of missing out on newer features.So how can you replace an older version with a newer one?Just like adding PHP code, updating requires a plugin. There’s one called “SG Optimizer”. It allows you to update to the latest version of PHP and improve your experience on WordPress.If you’ve already downloaded SG Optimizer, you just have to update it before you use it. If you haven’t, you can do so through WordPress.You then need to check that the theme of your website and the other plugins you’re using are compatible with the latest version of PHP. You can do this by doing a scan with SG Optimizer. This scan will tell you whether or not you can update to the latest version. If you can, you just need to click a button to do it.   If not, it’ll show you which plugins aren’t compatible. You’ll need to update them individually and do the scan again to update your version of PHP.The SG Optimizer allows you to go back to previous versions if you need to. This might happen if you have problems with a certain plugin. You can choose the version that works for you.However, keep in mind that the latest version is more secure and faster than the previous versions.Learn how to upload PHP files.How Often Is It Updated?PHP is constantly evolving. Since the 90s, many passionate developers have worked towards getting the best out of it. This is because the language is open source so, in theory, anything is possible.It's very easy updating to the latest version of PHP. (Source: Boskampi)Web developers are always working on it. Just because you’ve currently got the latest version, that doesn’t mean that you always will. There are fixes and improvements throughout the year. Updates could happen every three months.You should regularly update your site with the SG Optimizer. It’s not essential, though.This might be useful if you find a few errors or bugs on your site. In this case, an update could fix them. Otherwise, a yearly update could be enough without going mad with updates. Good luck!If you're interested in learning more about web hosting, e-commerce, templates, SEO (search engine optimization), Joomla, or how to build your website and get it up and running, consider getting in touch with a tutor on Superprof who can help you with website building and making your own website.There are three types of tutorials available: face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages.Face-to-face tutorials are the most cost-effective since your tutor tailors their lessons to you and can focus on you for the entire lesson. Of course, this tailored service comes at a cost. Essentially, you're paying not just for the time the tutor spends with yo u, but also all the time they spend planning and preparing your tutorials.Online tutorials are often cheaper than face-to-face tutorials since the tutor doesn't have as many expenses to deal with. As a result, they can charge less per hour to make their offering more competitive. While these types of tutorials aren't ideal for things like sculpture, they can be very effective for technical subjects like IT and programming.Group tutorials are usually the cheapest for each student because they're all sharing the cost of the lesson. Of course, the major drawback of this type of tutorial is that you don't get as much one-on-one time with your tutor as you would in the other types but could be good if you and a group of friends are all interested in learning PHP.Finally, most of the tutors on Superprof offer the first hour of private tutoring for free. You can try out different tutors and talk to them about your goals and expectations, see if you get along with them, and ensure that thei r teaching approaches are right for you.

11 Simple Ways to Improve Your Written English - English Skills

11 Simple Ways to Improve Your Written English - English Skills Today, I want to talk to you about ways to improve your written English and improve your confidence in writing. In previous lesson I shared with you my 10 Real Tips for Improving Englishand one of those (there were 10 tips) and one of those tips was to improve your your written English.So thats what I want to focus on today. Obviously, written English is really important because there are two key ways in which we communicate with other people. How we speak and then also how we write. 11 Simple Ways to Improve Your Written English And when we are writing English, it can be in many many different formats. So if you think now how you  write in the last couple of days or what you write in the next few days, it could  be something as simple as just a text on your phone. It could be a whatsapp  message. It could be an email replying to a business colleague or some customer. It  could be a much more detailed report for your boss for new business proposals. Or, indeed, it could be that all important letter for that new job application, that job that you you really want.So in all of those aspects we have to really think about the type of English that  were writing and why we are writing it.For example, if its your friends birthday and youre sending them a  birthday card you might not think too long and hard about the birthday wishes.  Particularly if youve seen your friend quite recently.It might just be a very  quick:Hi happy birthday, wish you the best lots of love.Something as simple as that.Or if you havent seen t he person for a long  time you can say:Oh Im really sorry, I havent been in touch but I never forget your  birthday. Id like to wish you all the best on this really special day.So you might put in a little bit of extra thought into that so it depends on the circumstances.But if youre writing that all-important letter for a job interview, youre going to really want tothink about it.What are they looking for? How do you want to put yourself forward? How does your CV look?And therefore you want to write a letter thats going  to attract attention and hopefully get  you onto that original list. Or indeed onto the shortlist for the the job  application.So its really really important when you write that you consider who is your audience.Yes, who are you writing to, whos going to read it. And why are you writing that particular document.Is it to impress the boss so therefore you want to maybe put the language a little bit more sexy or little jazz it up a little bit.Or you want to write the job interview letter and you really want to let them know that youre the best person that they can possibly hire.Or indeed it was just an email to your friend and you want to be a little funny and you want to put in a little joke.  Well, then obviously the content will differ.  Okay.  So as I said, there are two really important things you have to look out for:who is going to read your document, your letter, your emailwhy are you writing itAnd if Im writing a report, a business report I want to imagine its the most important person in that organisation thats going to read it.My chief executive, the director, the head of sales, whoever it might be, it has to be the most important person.Youll focus a lot more on that. And then if Im looking at why am I writing it, never stray away from the reason. Dont fill your document to your  boss full of bullshit. Theyll see it through that.You want to make it concise and accurate and to the point. So be very very careful about who is going to r ead it. Ways to Improve Your Written English If youre writing an English exam, for example, if youre doing an IELTS, the examiners dont really care what your comments are, what your points of view are. What they are examining is how you use English. Okay.So whether you agree or disagree with the point is not so relevant, its not so important but what is important is the structure and the use of English.So youve got to pay an awful lot of attention there to your grammar.You have to make sure that:the use of the articles a the and an is accurateyou use the right prepositionsHowever, if you are writing a letter for the job interview or youre writing the business report as we mentioned, then it really is important to what you say.So if youre writing the letter for the job application, stick to the point.What is the job? What are they looking for? How do you fit in to that particular job description?And dont waffle because that might lose you some sort of a attraction and therefore might not make you to the shortlist after all.Of co urse, in any particular type of English, its really important that our grammar is checked. Make sure that grammar is used well.  I cringe when I get documents that are written badly.  So you can imagine that other people who have to read lots and lots of documents every day, lots and lots of CVS and lots and lots of letters for jobs they get a little bit browned off and annoyed if there are a lot of mistakes.So Im not just talking about simple typos. We all make those. Even I make those occasionally if I rush an email a little bit. And when I look at it later on Oh god, Ive got a typo in there.Thats not really so bad because it can be an excuse of your typing. If its like me with two fingers. But if you make bad English mistakes thats a lot lot different. Thats not just a typo, thats bad grammar. So be really really careful with that.So a tip if youre preparing a document, particularly an important document thats going to go to somebody very important and very senior, make sure you get someone to proof it or someone to check it. So if youre not a proficient English speaker or writer, get somebody who is. Its worth spending a bit of money or a bit of time to get them to read it and a fresh pair of eyes makes a huge difference.  One thing of course that will really help you to improve your written English is to see what other people do. So look to the experts.Look up documents and good business magazines. If its a business article you want to write, look up good authors of written English that you can look at sentence construction. You can follow and copy what people do.Theres no end to the number of books you can find. And you can find very good English construction. You can look at how people make simple and complex sentences and you can copy that sort of style and get used to it. So its really really good practice.So there are so many articles out there. Everything is available over the internet so you shouldnt have any excuse and not being able to find  some thing that will help you. And its a really good part of your own personal training. I did it and I still do it. I like to read other peoples styles to  see how they construct sentences, how they use words and everything connected with that. Okay.So make sure that you practice and practise and practise. Here are some simple exercises that I carry out with with my students when Im getting them to do written exercises. If theyre trying to understand lets say phrasal verbs.Everybody asks me about Oh how can I learn phrasal verbs? I see that everybody gets examined on these. I dont know how to use them and not comfortable with them.Well, one of the simple exercises that I use with my students, I get them to keep a diary of events that happen over a couple of days. A weekend is a good example. Saturday and Sunday. Okay.And I ask them to write in the diary what they did but use as many phrasal verbs as they can.For example, on Saturday morning I got up, I jumped into the shower, I jumped out of the shower, I ran down the stairs, I put on the coffee, I took out the eggs from the the fridge and I put them on the stove. Okay.So we go on and on like that and if you play this back youll see that Ive used six, seven, eight phrasal verbs in a few small sentences.So its a really really good pract ice and it goes on throughout the morning, the afternoon and the evening to see where you can fit in a phrasal verb.And the reverse is also a good exercise.Where I get somebody to write something a little bit more formal without any phrasal verbs. So here what were looking for a much more formal verb. So every phrasal verb has a formalverb. Okay.So you can practise your formal writing and you can practise your informal writing in two very easy exercises.Another example that I use is to get somebody to write something really really short, just a couple of sentences, 20 or 25 words. How to sell the car or how to sell the house.This is really getting you to use descriptive English with very very few words. You want to get as few words as possible to be as descript as possible. So that you can get somebody to buy the article that you want to sell.If you want to sell you a car, want to low mileage, beautiful car, well-maintained, one careful, yours for twenty thousand euro. Okay.So descr iptive. Not another load of waffle but just very very few words, so its a good way to practice descriptive English. Okay.And you can do that in terms of selling the car, selling your home, a visit to a hotel, visit to the zoo, whatever activities that you have get people to be really really descriptive.One of the the real problems with people who have or consider themselves to have poor written English skills is that they repeat the same word over and over again. And that can be apart from annoying, it shows in an examination that they have a poor vocabulary, they dont have an expansive vocabulary. And this is something else that we have to work on and improve with doing some written exercises.You take a word and you try and find two or three other synonyms that have the same meaning that you can use. So you try and find other verbs the same meaning of the nouns or the adjectives and so on. Okay.Every word has some sort of synonym. Even the word zebra. Okay.So what is another word f or a zebra?Well, not exactly a word but you could call it a horse with black and white stripes. Or a black horse with white stripes. Or a white horse with black stripes. Okay.So different ways you can describe your words and those sort of exercises will help you a lot. Try to get your vocabulary expanded so that youre not repeating the same words time and time again.Particularly if youre doing an exam where youre limited to maybe a hundred and eighty to 230 or 250 words repetition is a problem.We want to see a wider vocabulary, more words used and not the keywords repeated over and over again. Okay.So when youre writing, its a really important to have structure. Any document whether its a letter or a report is going to have a  beginning and an end. It depends what type of document as to what type of beginning, what type of middle and what type of end you have.You have to look up there. But they call the register of the English youre writing. Is it formal or informal. That will dicta te the type  of opening the type of the middle and the type of ending that youre going to have. If you follow those careful points your documents  wont be too bad. And again youre going to go on and practise and practise those to make them as good as you possibly can.A couple of last points just to give you.Always remember that simple accurate English is better than complicated inaccurate English.When your simple English becomes good, then move up to more complex English.Also remember when you speak its not often remembered unless somebody is recording what you say. But when you write something, itll be recorded forever. Particularly in the modern world with the technology that we have. So always be really really careful about what you write. Read it time and time again to get rid of typos or mistakes.I hope youve enjoyed what Ive had to tell you today and remember as always to subscribe to my channel and join me on www.englishlessonviaskype.comWere going to have a really important announcement very soon which I think will be interesting for you.And if you look down below youll get the link to our online English courses.Lots of wonderful English grammar courses at really reasonable prices.So join me again very soon and thanks for listening.

Voluntários que não sabem Inglês devem ser selecionados

Voluntários que não sabem Inglês devem ser selecionados tungphoto / FreeDigitalphotos.netEstamos vivendo um momento que tem tudo para ser efetivamente revolucionário. No entanto, enquanto existem pessoas gritando pelo cancelamento dos grandes eventos que o Brasil vai receber, outras pessoas são da opinião de que, agora que o dinheiro já foi gasto, o importante é focar no que está programado, para que o investimento seja recuperado.Uma das formas de batalhar para que os eventos aconteçam sem grandes problemas é apostar no recrutamento de voluntários que se encaixem nos parâmetros necessários ao trabalho a ser desempenhado. Afinal, já que o comitê decidiu que ao invés de contratar iria angariar voluntários, é preciso que faça um bom trabalho na hora de selecionar essas pessoas.Contudo, como a gente está no Brasil e, de vez em quando, as coisas não funcionam bem, durante a Copa das Confederações pessoas reclamaram essencialmente da dificuldade de comunicação com os voluntários que, por norma, falavam apenas Português .  De acordo com uma notícia que li há algumas semanas, Rodrigo Hermida, gerente do programa de voluntariado, afirmou que não era obrigatório saber falar Inglês para ser selecionado como voluntário para a Copa das Confederações e que, provavelmente, esse parâmetro vai ter que ser alterado para a Copa do Mundo.Particularmente, não entendo como é possível que não achem imprescindível ter voluntários que tenham domínio de, pelo menos, um idioma além do Português, tendo em conta que estarão lidando com pessoas de todo o mundo que vêm ao Brasil para os eventos.  Porém, em um país onde o ensino de idiomas é delegado aos cursinhos ao invés de ser incutido nas escolas, de forma consistente, desde os primeiros anos de estudo como algo essencial para a vida profissional e também como uma fonte de conhecimento, podemos esperar qualquer coisa.Apesar do erro de cálculo, o lado positivo é que a Copa das Confederações, como evento de teste que foi, mostrou o erro para a organização e é possível que para a seleção de voluntários para a Copa do Mundo saber ou não falar outro dioma se torne um elemento obrigatório.E para você, voluntários que não sabem Inglês devem continuar a ser selecionados?

Help Your Child Work On A Group Project - TutorNerds

Help Your Child Work On A Group Project - TutorNerds 4 ways to help your child work on a group project Kids of all ages will need to work as part of a group at some point in their education. These projects are valuable because they help students learn how to cooperate, compromise, and achieve success while working with other students they dont know. This skill helps students get along with each other and share ideas at their current level, but it also helps prepare them for a future in any career field where they will need to work with others. Unfortunately, many students dread the group project experience because they dont like working with certain classmates or they dont know how to get everything done in a way that allows everybody to contribute equally. There are some things kids can do to make their group project experience a positive one our private Costa Mesa academic tutors are here to help your kids succeed. 1. Organize ahead of time Group projects are significantly easier if students get together to organize what each student will do and make sure they have enough time to finish before the due date. It can be a challenge to get each student together in person so it might be a good idea for each member of the group to spend a little bit of time together at lunch or right after school so they can figure out how theyre going to complete the project. Students should make sure to bring any research materials they need to the group session as well as their laptop, tablet or paper pencil so they can take notes while they study. 2. Utilize digital technology One of the biggest complaints about group projects is that its nearly impossible to get every member of the group together at the same time in the same place. Each student has a different after-school schedule and may or may not be available at a specific time. If this is the case, students should utilize everything that digital technology has to offer these days. They can meet online using any number of communication apps and talk to each other in real time. Students can also share notes or research ideas with each other in a digital environment, so they dont have to wait until their next study group meeting to share materials (READ: 4 Ways to Help Elementary-Age Kids With Their Homework). 3. Try to be fair to everyone Its also important to make an effort to be fair to everyone when it comes to assigning different tasks. No one individual student should be doing all the work; it is a group project after all. However, it often seems like one or two members of the group get stuck with more responsibility, so its important to break up tasks evenly but also give every member of the group enough time to complete their part of the project. Every student has a different schedule, different learning styles, and different after-school responsibilities so some will need more time than others to complete their assignment. 4. Focus on each students strengths and weaknesses Its also a great idea for students to focus on their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to doing well on a group project. For example, if one student has excellent handwriting and is good at taking notes they can write down all the important things that happened during the session. If another student is great at speed-reading, they might do a lot of the initial research to present ideas to the group. Each student will have something they need to improve about their study habits that they can focus on as an individual, but group projects are about learning how to work together, share ideas, and get along with students who arent in their immediate social circle. In addition to these tips, help your child succeed on a group project with the help of a private Costa Mesa tutor from TutorNerds. Get a free Costa Mesa tutoring session when you refer a friend to TutorNerds. Contact us today for more information. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.