INPUT ARTICLE: Article: to build your vocabulary and grammar. Flashcards are a great way to increase your vocabulary and improve your understanding of English grammar, no matter your level of experience. Carry a set of cards with you wherever you go and run through the deck when you have a free minute. You can either make your own flashcards or buy a set. Label a few household items with sticky notes every day to help you remember what these items are called. This is a fun and easy way to keep building your vocabulary every day. For example, you could put a sticky note on your lamp, refrigerator, desk, computer, and dining room table. Duolingo is a free online language learning application that is based on interactive, adaptive games that can help you learn vocabulary, grammar, and more. Try to use the app for a little while every day to improve your vocabulary. You can make an account for free and use the app on your phone, computer, or tablet to help you practice your English. The Guardian is an English language news source that makes learning materials available for free.  They’ve done the research and compilation of English learning materials for you! Use these materials to get a handle on the basics, starting with the English alphabet.  The Big Grammar Book includes 101 printable grammar worksheets. It is useful for both beginners and more established English pupils.  The worksheets were provided by EnglishBanana, a website that offers free worksheets and language-learning guides. The Big Resource Book and Big Activity Book are additional compilations of worksheets and lessons to help you learn English. Take advantage of the “toolkits” made available by the Guardian.  These are provided by independent language professionals and include illustrated, specific lessons to help you learn English. Set aside twenty minutes or even an hour to study.  Park yourself somewhere away from a television, turn off your phone (unless you’re using it to help you study), and commit.  Aside from traditional methods of studying, there a plenty of ways to study language, especially English.  If you’re in a class, revise any worksheets and other assignments when they are returned. Going back over previous homework is always worth your while.  This will help keep knowledge fresh in your mind. Take note of anywhere you lost points, and adjust your answer to make it correct. Take free online quizzes.  You can find unlimited vocab quizzes online, as well as quizzes and games that will test your English grammar comprehension, sentence construction, and more.  Use audio lessons.  Especially if you spend a portion of each day in transit, get in the habit of listening to English lessons.  This will help with all around language skills, including pronunciation. Go through flashcards together or practice having simple conversations. Even if they are more advanced, you can learn a lot from a peer who already went through experiences and struggles that you’re having.  Languages can be challenging to learn.  Having the camaraderie of a friend to join you in the learning process can help even if you don’t formally work on coursework or materials together. If you’re in a class together, check each other’s homework.  Not only will this improve your scores, it will also improve your comprehension. Having quick access to someone who may be able to answer questions will speed up your studying and make it more enjoyable.  Sooner than later, they’ll have questions for you too! English arguably has the most words of any language, which means that there are often multiple words with almost the same meaning.  Even if a word is a synonym for another word, that does not mean the two words are interchangeable. Small differences in word meanings can make a big difference when you use the words.  For example, the words "emaciated" and "thin" have similar meanings, but you would not use them interchangeably. Emaciated indicates that someone looks so thin that she seems unhealthy, while thin implies that one looks slim, yet still attractive and healthy.  Check the definition of synonyms before you decide to use them. This will help you to deepen your understanding of the English language while expanding your vocabulary as well. Inconsistent ways of spelling certain sounds can make learning English a bit frustrating. When you’re having trouble with a certain word, look at how it's spelled in other forms.  This may even frustrate you further for a moment – but it will remind you that there are plenty of exceptions to English spelling rules, and you need to recognize this to master English.  For example, some words feature silent letters, such as "knife" and "honor.”  There are also rules for vowel order in some cases, such as “i” before “e” most of the time- (but not always!) and replace the “y” and add “ies” for plural words. Verbs can also be challenging when you are trying to learn English. There are many verbs in the English language that have similar meanings, but the meaning of a sentence can be quite different depending on the one you choose.  For example, “May I?” and “Can I?” have different (yet similar) meanings.  “May” indicates that you are politely asking permission to do something, while “can” indicates that you are inquiring about whether or not something is possible. Get familiar with common verbs to avoid making these types of mistakes. In spoken English, many words are not pronounced the same way even if they are spelled the same way. This means that you may end up making some mistakes with pronunciation. For example, the words “bough,” “tough,” and “cough” all end in the same four letters, but each word is pronounced differently.

SUMMARY: Make flashcards Label items in your home with sticky notes. Try Duolingo. Get materials from the Guardian Teacher Network. Study for a focused amount of time every day. Study with a friend. Watch for synonyms. Memorize odd spellings. Identify subtle differences in verbs. Remember that spelling can be misleading.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Though any qualified educators can technically teach IB classes, teachers with an IB background will have a leg up when applying to teach at IB schools. Find a university or educational institution near you offering an IB educator certificate program. You can also sign up for online courses to get a certificate remotely.  Visit the International Baccalaureate website at http://ibo.org/globalassets/professional-development/ib-university-directory-2017-en.pdf to get a listing of the universities offering IB educator certificates, as well as detailed outline of what each specific program entails. On average, IB certification takes about 22 weeks to complete. Each educational institution offering an IB educator program has its own entry requirements. You can look up these requirements on the IB directory, or on your program's website.  To look up the requirements in the IB educator certificates directory go to: http://ibo.org/globalassets/professional-development/ib-university-directory-2017-en.pdf. If you do not meet the requirements, look into the requirements for other certificate programs offered online or in your area. The costs associated with getting an IB educator certificate will depend on the unique fee structure of the institution offering it. This may vary greatly depending on the country the institution is located in. Contact the institution of your choice before applying to get this information. The IB offers 4 keys programmes targeting different ages and educational goals. Choose the aim of your certificate training based on your teaching concentration. For instance:   If you want to teach IB classes in an elementary school, choose the Primary Years programme, geared for children aged 3-12. If your goal is to teach IB classed to middle school students, opt for the Middle Years programme, focusing on children aged 11-16. If your career goal is to teach IB classes to older high school students, choose the Diploma program focusing on academically-focused students aged 16-19. You can also decide to study the Career-related programme, which focuses on more career-specific education for ages 16-19. Whether you take courses in person or online, you will have to pass them all to get your certificate. Some institutions will require a minimum grade for each course, and some will set a time limit on how long you can take to complete all the credits. Find out your school's specific requirements to ensure that you obtain your certificate.

SUMMARY:
Find an IB educator certificate program near you. Make sure you meet the entry qualifications for the program. Contact the institution to ask about their fee structure. Choose the focus of your program before applying. Complete the required number of courses to get your certificate.