Clementine Tutoring

Clementine TutoringClementine Tutoring is a service provider that is focused on providing tutoring to students' parents from different academic backgrounds. They help students solve their educational problems and help them grow academically and socially.Clementine was founded in 1990 by Jacqueline Fournier, a mother of four. Fournier wanted to give parents an alternative way to help their children meet the curriculum requirements. She started out with a small clinic in Montreal that specialized in taking care of children who had language difficulties and being able to translate material for the students.By the time she graduated from high school, Clementine's services were used by about two hundred and fifty families and by 1999, it had become the first English-speaking center of excellence in Quebec. It has been featured in a TV movie called 'Habitation de la Clementine.' The TV series, 'In Memory of Clementine' is a true story about Fournier's business and her experience in helping her own family and the other students of her clinic.Clementine tutoring uses the techniques of behavior modification and focused instruction to help the students develop specific learning needs. She calls her technique the 'Crystal Method'CTM'. These techniques include the following:Clementine's tutors have an enormous range of experience. Each class meets for three hours and includes hands-on experience and work with the students.Clementine offers to help a child who is having a difficult time focusing. In the 'CTM-Focused' group, the child is able to focus on a specific subject and follow an activity using timed objectives that measure progress toward the student's goal. These programs are especially valuable for those who have problems with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).When searching for tutoring in Montreal, be sure to check out Clementine Tutoring. Its website is also available online.

Heart Math Tutoring Adds Pinewood Elementary As 8th School Partner

Heart Math Tutoring Adds Pinewood Elementary As 8th School Partner Heart Math Tutoring Adds Pinewood Elementary As 8th School Partner Heart Math Tutoring Adds Pinewood Elementary As 8th School Partner October 5, 2015 We are  excited  to add Pinewood Elementary School as a new school partner! Pinewood is now one of eight Heart school sites in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in 2015-16. “We are thrilled and grateful that interest from community volunteers and support from donors allowed us to offer the program to Pinewood Elementary, where students in grades 2, 3, and 4 will receive tutoring twice per week starting in mid-October,” said Emily Elliott, executive director of Heart Math Tutoring. Through its partnership with each school, Heart has an on-site program coordinator and is currently looking to fill that position at Pinewood Elementary. The program coordinator will oversee 30-40 students’ growth in math skills; manage volunteer tutors; and serve as a liaison with teachers and school staff at Pinewood Elementary. For more information about Heart, the program coordinator position, or to become a community or financial partner, call 704-931-3209 or email Emily Elliott at loatono. Read the full press release here.

Tips for Teens Why is it so Hard to Stop Procrastinating

Tips for Teens â€"Why is it so Hard to Stop Procrastinating Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow? says the ADHD brain. When you have ADHD getting started on homework or sitting down to study can be hard - really hard. Many teens with ADHD feel like their brain struggles to gear up and focus on the assignment. Others feel so overwhelmed by the essay, project, or upcoming test that they dont know where to start. Some know where to begin, but put off getting started because they worry that they wont be able to do the assignment well enough to meet their high standards. With all of these negative feelings coming up, the natural reaction is to avoid the assignment, project, or upcoming test all together. This avoidance strategy works initially. For a while you do feel much less anxious and less stressed, but before you know it youre in trouble. The test is in an hour and you havent studied, or the big project is due tomorrow and you havent gotten started. Your stress and anxiety skyrocket. Even if you do make the deadline, its only af ter pulling an all-nighter or handing in work that you know isnt your best. You promise yourself that you wont procrastinate again, but within just a few days youre back in the same spot. Everyone procrastinates sometimes. Its human nature. But when you procrastinate so often that it prevents you from reaching your full potential and adds stress and anxiety to your life, then its a problem. Youre not alone. Most people with ADHD (and many people without ADHD) struggle with procrastination. The good news is that you can break the procrastination cycle with two steps: first identify the ADHD tendencies that cause you to procrastinate and then make some relatively simple changes that will help you overcome these challenges. Common ADHD tendencies that lead to procrastination are listed below. Think about which of these apply to you - for some people it may be all five and for others it may be just one or two. Seeking Instant Gratification. With ADHD comes a tendency to prioritize things that are fun in the moment over things that are less enjoyable now but come with a delayed reward. Working on assignments and studying for tests are both activities with delayed payoffs. Sometimes the delay is very long, like when you study for months to prepare for the SAT. Other times it can be relatively short, like when you start working on an essay a few days before its due. In many cases the delayed payoff for your effort can be big like excellent scores on the SAT! But when you have ADHD its hard to be motivated by a delayed reward even with big payoffs. So, instead of getting started on things you logically know you need to get done, youre likely to do something immediately fun and rewarding instead - like playing videogames or chatting with friends. Feeling overwhelmed. When you have ADHD you can easily feel overwhelmed by longer assignments and exams that require a lot of preparation. It can be hard to know where to start or how to break the assignments or study plans down into smaller manageable chunks. No one wants to feel overwhelmed, and when you procrastinate youre able to avoid this feeling at least for a short time. Unfortunately, when you procrastinate you ultimately feel more overwhelmed in the long run. Time management. Estimating the amount of time it will take to complete an assignment or study for a test can be difficult when you have ADHD. Youre more likely to underestimate the amount of time you will need, and you may have trouble paying attention to the amount of time that has passed once you start working. Both of these ADHD tendencies make it difficult to get started early on projects and manage your time well so youll finish by the deadline. Self-confidence. When youre not confident in your ability to write a strong essay or get a good grade on a test, then it can be very difficult to get started. Self-defeating thoughts start to creep in, your anxiety goes up, and an already challenging task becomes even more unappealing. Many people with ADHD struggle with self-confidence, especially when it comes to school, so its not surprising that this might be causing some difficulties now. With ADHD its very easy to get distracted by almost anything, especially anything with a screen. Before you know it youve been sucked into your phone for an hour and genuinely have no idea how much time has passed! Once youre distracted by your phone or computer it can be even harder to switch gears and get started on the work youve been avoiding. Did you see yourself in any of these tendencies? Pay attention to your thoughts and feelings over the next few days as you get started on assignments or procrastinate instead of getting work done. See if you notice any other tendencies popping up. Once youve identified your own patterns youll be ready to take action and make some changes. In my next post I discuss some simple steps that will help you stop procrastinating so you can turn in assignments on time, with less stress, and earn better grades! ABOUT DR. MARY ROONEY Mary Rooney, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Dr Rooney is a researcher and clinician specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. Dr. Rooney's clinical interventions and research avenues emphasize working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential. In addition, Dr. Rooney serves as a consultant and ADHD expert to Huntington Learning Centers. ABOUT HUNTINGTON Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students of all levels succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. Call us today at 1.800.CAN LEARN to discuss how Huntington can help your child. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. This website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only.

11 Curious Facts about the World`s Most Beautiful Libraries

11 Curious Facts about the World`s Most Beautiful Libraries Since Medieval historical period libraries have been the holy places of knowledge and science. The visitors were not just grass-roots, but the representatives of the top-drawer. They could read and examine a lot of highly intellectual publications. Despite the fact the libraries were the buildings aimed for personal development and education; they considered as the works of art. If we studied book rooms from the design and architectural perspective, we would say that they impressed by their refinement and splendor. Such book repositories could combine various architectural styles; contain gorgeous murals and grand lightning systems. There are a lot of imposing and unique athenaeums all over the world. Each of them has exclusive ?ollections of books and its history of origin. Here is the top list of interesting facts about the beautiful libraries: 1. Swiss Abbey Library of St. Gallen. This library is designed in the style of Rococo. It encompasses approximately two hundred thousand of published texts from the late 8th century. It is preserved as a heritage of the country. 2. National Library of Austria. It is the most remarkable book repository with more than seven million textbooks. Moreover, the gorgeous sculptures of Lorenzo Mattielli and Daniel Gran’s murals are signature image of the library. 3. Spanish Library of El Escorial. Initially the establishment was the residence of the Spanish King. Phillip II created the library within this building and added the majority of texts. Here we can see ceilings decorated with murals. Each fresco shows one of seven liberal arts. 4. Irish Trinity College Library. Its collection contains an outstanding manuscript Book of Kells which has its origin in 800 year. The library has Legal Deposit privilege and has many text copies of England. 5. Codrington Library in England. The two hundred thousand items of the collection are mostly specific in Law, History and Classics. It is open not only for members and scientists of Oxford University but for scientists all over the world. At the end of the 20th century the athenaeum had a great upgrade that provided visitors with electronic working stations. 6. The National Library of France. The largest addition to its collection was made during the French Revolution (it was broaden to three hundred thousand items). But the current amount is totally impressive and has thirteen million periodi?als. Moreover, there are numerous ?ollections of medals and paintings. 7. Delft University of Te?hnology Library in Netherlands. This technical book room has a great peculiarity such as a skylight with grass roof. The entrance lift helps the library to be friendly to people with disabilities. The collection is mostly devoted to technical researches and available online. 8. The Royal Portuguese Reading Room in Brazil. The building is made in the style of Renaissance during the ?olonization. A marvelous chandelier and skylight are main decorations of the library. Around six thousand unique scripts and texts enlarge the book ?ollection each year. 9. The Library of the San Francisco Monastery in Peru. This book room is the most remarkable in the South America. The rare items from the 15th century make the ?ollection of the library especially prominent. The first Spanish dictionary and the Holy Bible are the real treasures of its ?ollection. 10. Colombian Villanueva Public Library. The construction of the building is made by the stones and wood from nearby areas by the Colombian residents. The natural design project was offered by local students which created the optimum microclimate inside the library. 11. The Library of Congress in the USA. This reading room is the biggest in the world and consolidates approximately forty million books. It became an international scientific building due to the fact the publications are presented in four hundred seventy languages. If you are involved in studying the historical and interior peculiarities of the athenaeums and different prominent buildings, we offer you to contact our art tutors.  They can help you to become experts in this field of studying.

International Scholarships 101 - by TutorNerds

International Scholarships 101 - by TutorNerds Tips from an Irvine College Consultant:   International Scholarships 101 Many students dream of coming to the United States to attend college or university. With such an expansive geographical area, multiple cultures, climates, and every major imaginable, the USA is a fabulous place to get a postsecondary education. Unfortunately, international tuition is extremely expensive and the majority of students will need help of some kind. Fortunately, there are some fabulous scholarships available through private and public institutions and some universities are more generous at handing out scholarships and financial aid than others. Lets take a look. 1. Foreign Fulbright Student Program This scholarship offers a potential full-ride for an international student who would like to come to the USA in pursuit of a post baccalaureate degree, such as a Masters or PhD. This is a fabulous opportunity because, in addition to basic tuition and educational expenses, it also covers health insurance and even airfare. This particular scholarship is provided by the government rather than a specific college or university (READ: 8 Reasons Applicants Fail to Get Into the College of Their Choice). 2. Money directly from universities In addition to government scholarships, many universities offer either merit or need-based scholarships. Some of these programs include the Amherst College scholarships, Arkansas University scholarships, Columbia College scholarships Cornell University scholarships and so on. A full list is available here. Particularly impressive is the help offered from Berea College, where every admitted student can receive a four-year tuition scholarship. Colby-Sawyer College offers up to $24,000 per year in aid and Concordia College offers up to $25,000 per year. 3. Private institutions and non-government agency scholarships The AAUW International Fellowship provides international female students with the opportunity to conduct full-time study or research in the US. This fellowship is for post baccalaureate study and can provide up to $18,000 for Masters Degree study and $20,000 for PhD study. Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Programme offers a small number of scholarships for postgraduate studies that can be used in the United States. This is meant for students who can find no other way to finance their studies. Although a few extremely lucky international students will receive full scholarships or hefty aid packages, many students will find that education is partially funded through a scholarship but that they are responsible for the remainder. So what is the next step for students who need to come up with enough money to make ends meet during their international studies? 1. First off, always contact the financial aid offices of each college or university directly. Larger universities generally have some money set aside for international aid. However, its entirely up to the student to ask for and gather this information on their own. 2. Have a high score on the TOEFL. The majority of colleges and universities that give merit-based or need-based financial aid to international students from countries that don’t speak English, will require a high TOEFL score. The higher the score, the better the chances. International students who are hoping for aid packages should be prepared to take the TOEFL two or three times even if they are already conversational or fluent in English. 4. Beware of Scams! There are many fabulous legitimate scholarships and financial aid packages out there, but international students coming to the USA are subject to people who are trying to scam students out of their hard-earned savings. Students should look out for a few red flags when applying for international scholarships (READ: 5 Tips For Your College Entrance Essay). 1. Too good to be true? Programs that offer an incredibly large amount of money, or some sort of guarantee, or any other thing that seems too good to be true, probably is. Scholarship programs never give money away so it’s important that students watch out for this type of scam. 2. Money and fees. If the program asks for a hefty fee upfront or a lot of money to process the application, the applicant should be under alert. If the program advertises that they will give $100,000 in scholarship money in exchange for $250 upfront, its probably a scam. 3. Social media checks. Students can protect themselves by doing social media checks on suspicious scholarship programs. Its highly likely that somebody who was scammed in the past will have written about it online. Any scholarship that looks even slightly suspicious should be a red flag for students to do an online background check. Always make sure to talk to somebody in person or on the phone, look for complaints, and get appropriate references. Always use your best judgment. Although funding study in the United States can be very difficult, its a fabulous place to learn and live in, and at the end of the day there are so many great options for international students. Sources: International Student: Avoid Scholarship Scams International Student: International Scholarships 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 post about. International Scholarships 101 - by TutorNerds Tips from an Irvine College Consultant:   International Scholarships 101 Many students dream of coming to the United States to attend college or university. With such an expansive geographical area, multiple cultures, climates, and every major imaginable, the USA is a fabulous place to get a postsecondary education. Unfortunately, international tuition is extremely expensive and the majority of students will need help of some kind. Fortunately, there are some fabulous scholarships available through private and public institutions and some universities are more generous at handing out scholarships and financial aid than others. Lets take a look. 1. Foreign Fulbright Student Program This scholarship offers a potential full-ride for an international student who would like to come to the USA in pursuit of a post baccalaureate degree, such as a Masters or PhD. This is a fabulous opportunity because, in addition to basic tuition and educational expenses, it also covers health insurance and even airfare. This particular scholarship is provided by the government rather than a specific college or university (READ: 8 Reasons Applicants Fail to Get Into the College of Their Choice). 2. Money directly from universities In addition to government scholarships, many universities offer either merit or need-based scholarships. Some of these programs include the Amherst College scholarships, Arkansas University scholarships, Columbia College scholarships Cornell University scholarships and so on. A full list is available here. Particularly impressive is the help offered from Berea College, where every admitted student can receive a four-year tuition scholarship. Colby-Sawyer College offers up to $24,000 per year in aid and Concordia College offers up to $25,000 per year. 3. Private institutions and non-government agency scholarships The AAUW International Fellowship provides international female students with the opportunity to conduct full-time study or research in the US. This fellowship is for post baccalaureate study and can provide up to $18,000 for Masters Degree study and $20,000 for PhD study. Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Programme offers a small number of scholarships for postgraduate studies that can be used in the United States. This is meant for students who can find no other way to finance their studies. Although a few extremely lucky international students will receive full scholarships or hefty aid packages, many students will find that education is partially funded through a scholarship but that they are responsible for the remainder. So what is the next step for students who need to come up with enough money to make ends meet during their international studies? 1. First off, always contact the financial aid offices of each college or university directly. Larger universities generally have some money set aside for international aid. However, its entirely up to the student to ask for and gather this information on their own. 2. Have a high score on the TOEFL. The majority of colleges and universities that give merit-based or need-based financial aid to international students from countries that don’t speak English, will require a high TOEFL score. The higher the score, the better the chances. International students who are hoping for aid packages should be prepared to take the TOEFL two or three times even if they are already conversational or fluent in English. 4. Beware of Scams! There are many fabulous legitimate scholarships and financial aid packages out there, but international students coming to the USA are subject to people who are trying to scam students out of their hard-earned savings. Students should look out for a few red flags when applying for international scholarships (READ: 5 Tips For Your College Entrance Essay). 1. Too good to be true? Programs that offer an incredibly large amount of money, or some sort of guarantee, or any other thing that seems too good to be true, probably is. Scholarship programs never give money away so it’s important that students watch out for this type of scam. 2. Money and fees. If the program asks for a hefty fee upfront or a lot of money to process the application, the applicant should be under alert. If the program advertises that they will give $100,000 in scholarship money in exchange for $250 upfront, its probably a scam. 3. Social media checks. Students can protect themselves by doing social media checks on suspicious scholarship programs. Its highly likely that somebody who was scammed in the past will have written about it online. Any scholarship that looks even slightly suspicious should be a red flag for students to do an online background check. Always make sure to talk to somebody in person or on the phone, look for complaints, and get appropriate references. Always use your best judgment. Although funding study in the United States can be very difficult, its a fabulous place to learn and live in, and at the end of the day there are so many great options for international students. Sources: International Student: Avoid Scholarship Scams International Student: International Scholarships 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 post about.

Tattoos Still Taboo in the Workplace

Tattoos Still Taboo in the Workplace https://img.buzzfeed.com Ankle: Subtle tattoos on the ankle are good for the workplace. Youll be able to show it off when you want to, but it wont be obvious that youre tatted up. https://img.buzzfeed.com   Rib cage:  This one hurts.  Everything Ive read warns against getting your first tattoo here. But, like the shoulder blade, this is a good place for a tattoo if youre going to work somewhere where tattoos are still taboo. Youll be able to show it off at the pool, but not when youre meeting with your boss! https://img.buzzfeed.com   Foot: Like the ankle, this is a good place for a subtle tattoo. Ive also heard this one hurts pretty badly so be warned! But again, youll be able to cover it up when you need to, and show it off whenever you want!   https://img.buzzfeed.com Behind the ear: I know a lot of people who got tattoos behind their ear. Its easy to cover up if you have long hair, but be mindful that itll be easy to forget about and let show in the workplace. If you get a tattoo here, youll have to make sure your hair covers a reasonable amount of it. https://img.buzzfeed.com   Workers with visible smaller, discrete, non-offensive tattoos are more likely to be accepted by businesses, says Sue Murphy,  association manager for the National Human Resources Association. When you start thinking about what kind of tattoo you want to get, the most important thing you can consider is your future in the workplace. Will the tattoo youre considering be easy to conceal? Non-offensive? The last thing you want to do is throw yourself out of the running for a job because of a decision you made on a drunk night at 18. My greatest piece of advice to you is to think about it. Consider all your options. And remember, tattoos are really expensive to get taken off.

How to Turn Your Passive Vocabulary into Active Vocabulary

How to Turn Your Passive Vocabulary into Active Vocabulary How to Turn Your Passive Vocabulary into Active Vocabulary I am lost for words.How often do you catch yourself thinking this?What a new significance this expression takes on when thinking of the foreign language youre learning!Of course, theres tons of research and discussion about how to expand your vocabulary in a foreign language. The kicker is, most polyglots talk about expanding vocabulary in generalâ€"they dont divide it into active and passive lexicons.Its an important distinction for any language learner to make.In case this active and passive lexicons stuff is Greek to you, heres what its all about. What Is Active and Passive Vocabulary?Your passive vocabulary includes the words you can recognize and understand, but cant come up with on your own when writing and speaking. For its part, active vocabulary includes all words that you can think of and use right away when youre in the process of communicating.When learning a language, both your active and passive vocabularies change all the time. You use words, forget words, try out ne w words and review previously learned words. So, words may move freely between your active and passive vocabularies as time goes on, but your passive vocabulary will always be much larger.Even in the case of your mother tongue, your passive vocabulary is going to be much larger than your active one. Just think of all the crazy English words you understand perfectly well when reading Shakespeare or watching Game of Thrones that would never occur to you to use when speaking.However, no matter how many words youve learned to understand, the moment comes when you need to use them. And thats where your active vocabulary reigns.Language learners hoping to speak eloquently, in a convincing and expressive manner, would do better to focus on converting their rich but passive lexicon into active vocabulary. After all, you already have a huge stash of somewhat familiar vocabulary words that you can easily move over into your active vocabularyâ€"and this takes much less effort than learning bra nd new words from scratch.How to do that? Lets find out right now.How to Turn Your Passive Vocabulary into Active Vocabulary1. Ditch the DictionaryWhat do you do when youve forgotten the words you need to express your thoughts in Chinese, Spanish or whatever language youre learning?You clutch at straws, AKA  dictionaries.And what do you do when forgetting a word in your mother tongue?Thats right:  Youll describe its meaning or use a synonym. You dont stop to open up a dictionary.We think of enriching our mother tongue vocabulary only when wanting to impress someone, sound smart or beef up a written piece with better language. Only in these situations might we stop to look up a word or two. Most of the time, we find clever ways of talking or writing our way around the missing vocabulary word.Do this in your foreign language rather than running for the dictionary every time youre missing a word, and your brain will get more adept at searching for the vocabulary you needâ€"and in the w orst cases, youll get better at  describing  things and maintaining the flow of conversation.2. Smooth PathBefore you start expanding vocabulary, prepare a place for new words in your mind and speech. That is to say, smooth the path.Until now, youve probably used one common trick when trying to express thoughts but stumbling at verbalizing them: You adopt  plague words  to fill the gaps.For example, lets take plague words such as very  and really. Instead of learning more specific synonyms, we attach these to other words. We can say very big  instead of huge, or very, very big  instead of enormous  or  gigantic. We can say the universal, nondescript word thing and use it as a substitute for tons of other words, rather than actually having to think of more specific, descriptive vocabulary.Now, think of which plague words you might be leaning on too much in your foreign language of interest.To expand your active vocabulary, say no! to your favorite word replacements. Dont simply parap hrase or plagiarize from others, and dont be lazy about finding that particular noun or adjective to communicate your idea.How to figure out these words?Re-read your messages with friends on Facebook, WhatsApp or whatever messenger you use.Make a list of the words you often choose to fill vocabulary gaps.Give the list to a friend and ask them to scold you every single time you write or say mentioned words.Reward a friend with a dinner or wash their car whenever you use one-size-fits-all words 50 times. (With no sanctions or motivation, it will be difficult to get rid of that hoary vocabulary.)After you learn to slow down a little for very, thing, amazing  and any other favorite plague words, your memory will know that it cant take the easy way outâ€"and it will start to deliver synonyms from your passive vocabulary.3. Total RecallOne of the most common pieces of advice for language learners is: Write new word in a notebook or on flashcards.Even if you go about doing this, the proble m is, words are difficult to remember without context.Instead of reviewing a list of isolated words and phrases bereft of context, make strides towards practicing your words in context and visualizing them in real situations.The best way to do this is to write, write and write some more. Write short stories and messages of all kinds.Choose your favorite topics and platforms: Write on social media, keep a diary, jot thoughts down in a Word file, whatever. The trick is to insert as many words there as possible, as often as possible. Bring in synonyms, different connotations, new grammar constructions and various writing styles. Revisit and reread your writings from time after time to avoid repetitions.Okay, some of us are too lazy to write every day. Or, we simply dont like writing and consider it a dull pastime to practice regularly. If youre amongst these non-writers and procrastinators, provide yourself with positive reinforcement to stay motivated:take part in a competitionaccept a writing challengemake a bet with your language teacher or friendsreward yourself for achievementsâ€"for example, buy yourself a donut after youve successfully written something every day for one week.4. Read SmartYou know that reading helps to expand vocabulary.  Thats true because it (reading) forces learners to look at words they might not have heard or seen before, making them search for meanings to understand the content. After all, the language in books is often more sophisticated than that of our everyday conversations.More than that, reading improves the memory and concentration  thats essential for language learners to have.But do you know what and how to read for this trick to work?Memoirs and autobiographiesWhen reading fiction, we get into the plot and dont pay attention to the rich verbal expression of a writer. So try a psychological trick, such as reading first-person stories. Leisurely and thoughtfully. In a perfect world, youll read aloud.PoemsJust like we have pla gue words, we also have plague  grammar constructions that we become reliant on, limiting our lexical diversity. In English, it can be a passive voice, there is, there are sentences or, in Spanish, over-indulging in the easy-to-form past participle.Read and learn poems by heart to absorb both the vocabulary and syntax of your target language. Poems typically  get creative with sentence construction, juggle word order and replace long phrases with shorter, more powerful phrases, so reading them is a great impetus for activating your passive vocabulary and picking up new grammar patterns.Dont think of active vocabulary expansion as if it were a bloody difficult, time-consuming and many-stage challenge.Its not neuroscience, where you need to spend years to really know your stuff.Moving passive vocabulary into your active vocabulary is a natural process that all people experience throughout life, and its within your power to influence it.The first step is being aware of how it works.The n, once youve applied the clever tricks above, youll be well on your way to boosting your active vocabulary every day.