5 Ways To Boost Your Memory
Have you ever imagined the benefits a good memory can bringyou?Being able to remember important pieces of information -like names, facts and figures, directions, procedures,quotations - can give you a powerful advantage in life.In fact, the ability to retain and retrieve information isessential to your personal and professional success.Here are five ways to boost your memory and keep it razorsharp:1. Use Your ImaginationAn easy way to remember something is to "take a picture".For example, to remember where you've left your car keys,pretend to hold a camera to your eyes, focus on the scene,and click the image into your memory when you are leaving.Then, when you want to find your keys again, try to developthe negative into positive and you'll be able to draw out aclear picture.This technique works with almost everything you want toremember, as the film reel in your mind is endless.Another trick you can use is to "think like a poet". Makeup rhymes to recall ideas and construct simple-to-rememberacronyms to record key phrases.Remembering is EASY (Every Acronym Saves You) when you DIY(Do It Yourself).Let's say you want to memorize the planets in their orderfrom the Sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn,Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.Then just say "My Very Excellent Mom Just Served Us NicePickles".2. Practice!You can boost your memory with just a little regularpractice. There are lots of ways of doing this:Try to remember which day of the week your last birthdaywas. Then extend this to the birthdays of all your familymembers.Try to remember all the Grand Slam Finalists and who was thewinner. If you can try to remember the scores as well, itwould be an even better exercise.Try to remember names of all the 50 States and see if youcan do it in alphabetic order too.It won't be long before your daily practice pays off -making your mind sharper and more adaptable.3. Eat HealthyThe best way to protect your memory is to eat plenty ofantioxidants and nutrients commonly found in fruits andvegetables.In a study published by the American Journal of ClinicalNutrition, researchers tested people aged between 65 and 90and discovered that the people with the best ability tomemorize words were those whose diets included the mostfruits and vegetables.Coincidentally, the same group of people ate the leastartery-clogging saturated fat. Of all the fruits andvegetables studied, blueberries and blackberries contain themost potent antioxidants, anthocyanins.4. Get PhysicalPhysical exercise not only boosts memory but also helps youthink faster. A combination of mental and physicalactivities can protect your memory and help keep you alert.The brain's processing speed gradually slows as you age.Between ages 25 and 55, many people begin to experienceproblems coming up with names or numbers. The memory isthere. It just takes people longer to retrieve it.Staying physically fit can ward off some of the effects ofage on the brain. In real life, that could mean coming upwith a forgotten name more quickly or jumping out of dangerin the face of an oncoming car.5. Exercise Your BrainMental gymnastics are as important as physical ones topreserving brainpower.Take up word games like crossword puzzles and acrostics.Memorize favorite poems, read challenging books or articlesthat encourage you to expand your interests.Practice other-handedness. If you're right- handed, trybrushing your teeth or writing your grocery list with yourleft hand.Any activity that requires you to think and concentrate --from keeping a journal or learning a new language to takingmusic lessons -- will challenge your brain.
Friday, December 23, 2005
Why do language training programs fail?
Why do language training programs fail?
If you want to make your training program succeed, you have to look beyond the class and at the company itself. As a trainer you have a shared responsibility, along with the company, of ensuring that what's learned in the classroom is transferred over to the day-to-day activities of the company. It is only when this transfer occurs, that the program can be seen as effective. The following tips are designed to help you make informed decisions when planning a course, and also help make your courses more effective.We hope you find the tips helpful: Make adequate pre-course preparation. Never accept "We want the class to start tonight" from the pesron responsible for arranging the class. On many occasions, this member of staff is in such a rush to get the assigned task "out of the way," that essential steps are ignored. If you want the class to work, take your time and follow the tips below.Listen to what the company are saying to you. Get a feel for the company culture, try to envision what the class will be like. Remember that you are interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you. Some classes can be more trouble than they are worth—if you suspect that this is the case, use your judgement to decide whether it's worth working with this particular company.Try and find out as much as you can about what the company does, what the class members actually do at the company, and the English skills they need to do the job effectively. Find out who made the decision to learn English and for what purpose. On many occassions the decision comes not from the students but management. Sometimes training is viewed as a perk, or as some solution to the company's inability to compete in its market. Situations like these can create motivational problems with the group—something the trainer has to deal with. A trainer cannot change a company's culture, however, he can create a positive classroom environment. We suggest that you try and achieve the following to keep the students motivated in your classes: Strive to make the energy in your classes high with clear transitions from each stage of the lesson.Try to connect with your students by showing interest in their work, learning experiences, private lives etc.Show the group that the course will help them advance their careers. Staff should know that if their current employer doesn't let them apply their new skills, there are many other companies that will.Be clear about what you are actually teaching—if you don't know, how will the trainees know?Carry out a placement test so you know the level of the students (notice how this suggestion lies near the bottom of this list). Insist that the class members have similar English levels. This will make both your life and the students' lives much easier once the class starts.Carry out a needs analysis so that you have a clear idea of what the company hopes to achieve. Be specific about the objectives of the course: "We want the group to just practice conversation" is too vague an objective, and is a complete waste of time. An objective such as: "We want to be able to describe the features of our products in correct English" is much better because it is specific, relevant to the job and achievable.Appoint a class representative who can communicate directly with you in an open and frank way. Listen to feedback, and act on it—even if it may seem ridiculous to you.Make sure you negotiate a clear cancellation policy. If you don't establish this at the start, the company will be cancelling on you whenever they feel like it.We hope you found these useful, and don't forget that the success of a class is dependent on active involvement from you, the trainees and management.
If you want to make your training program succeed, you have to look beyond the class and at the company itself. As a trainer you have a shared responsibility, along with the company, of ensuring that what's learned in the classroom is transferred over to the day-to-day activities of the company. It is only when this transfer occurs, that the program can be seen as effective. The following tips are designed to help you make informed decisions when planning a course, and also help make your courses more effective.We hope you find the tips helpful: Make adequate pre-course preparation. Never accept "We want the class to start tonight" from the pesron responsible for arranging the class. On many occasions, this member of staff is in such a rush to get the assigned task "out of the way," that essential steps are ignored. If you want the class to work, take your time and follow the tips below.Listen to what the company are saying to you. Get a feel for the company culture, try to envision what the class will be like. Remember that you are interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you. Some classes can be more trouble than they are worth—if you suspect that this is the case, use your judgement to decide whether it's worth working with this particular company.Try and find out as much as you can about what the company does, what the class members actually do at the company, and the English skills they need to do the job effectively. Find out who made the decision to learn English and for what purpose. On many occassions the decision comes not from the students but management. Sometimes training is viewed as a perk, or as some solution to the company's inability to compete in its market. Situations like these can create motivational problems with the group—something the trainer has to deal with. A trainer cannot change a company's culture, however, he can create a positive classroom environment. We suggest that you try and achieve the following to keep the students motivated in your classes: Strive to make the energy in your classes high with clear transitions from each stage of the lesson.Try to connect with your students by showing interest in their work, learning experiences, private lives etc.Show the group that the course will help them advance their careers. Staff should know that if their current employer doesn't let them apply their new skills, there are many other companies that will.Be clear about what you are actually teaching—if you don't know, how will the trainees know?Carry out a placement test so you know the level of the students (notice how this suggestion lies near the bottom of this list). Insist that the class members have similar English levels. This will make both your life and the students' lives much easier once the class starts.Carry out a needs analysis so that you have a clear idea of what the company hopes to achieve. Be specific about the objectives of the course: "We want the group to just practice conversation" is too vague an objective, and is a complete waste of time. An objective such as: "We want to be able to describe the features of our products in correct English" is much better because it is specific, relevant to the job and achievable.Appoint a class representative who can communicate directly with you in an open and frank way. Listen to feedback, and act on it—even if it may seem ridiculous to you.Make sure you negotiate a clear cancellation policy. If you don't establish this at the start, the company will be cancelling on you whenever they feel like it.We hope you found these useful, and don't forget that the success of a class is dependent on active involvement from you, the trainees and management.
Eye of Horus
Eye of Horus
Horus, represented as the falcon-headed god, was an important god in Egyptian legend. The symbol representing his eye, Eye of Horus, was a powerful symbol used to protect from evil. Pronounced "udjat" by the Egyptians, the Eye of Horus represents a human eye with the cheek markings of a falcon.The ancient Egyptian Eye of Horus or wedjat ('Whole One') is a powerful symbol of protection, and is also considered to confer wisdom, health and prosperity.The ancient Egyptians considered the eye of horus as a representative of eternal renewal of the kingdom from Pharaoh to pharaoh. The ancient Egyptians believed that this symbol has a very powerful and magical effect on restoring harmony to the unstabilized world and restoring unrightful things.According to the old myth, the rivalling god Seth tore Horus' eye out. Seth was his uncle, who contended with him for the Egyptian throne after he had killed and dismembered his father, Osiris. Thot, the wise moon god and the patron of the sciences and the art of writing, put it patiently back in order and healed it. As an ambiguous symbol, it describes the status of regained soundness.In the field of astronomy it is the moon symbol absolute and refers to the increasing completion of the moon disk; the Eye of Horus symbol was inspired by the "Eye of God" and "solar falcon" that are manifested during total solar eclipses;In the most different sizes and degrees of preciousness of its materials, it served as an amulet worn around the neck or as a graphic motif for beautiful jewels; it decorated the lunettes of coffins and sarcophagi; it was part of a suspicious picture mysteries in the ornament of receptacles or other personal objects.The Eye of Horus symbol was used in funerary rites and decoration, as instructed in the Egyptian Book of the Dead. After 1200 BC, it was also used by the Egyptians to represent fractions, based on repeated division by two. The value of a fraction was assigned to each individual part of the eye which Seth had torn up according to the myth. Their total, corresponding to the restoration of the eye brought about by Thot, should have added up to a whole. In fact, however, the total of the six fractions used results in only 63/64; it was assumed that Thot had withheld the missing 1/64 by magic. The Eye of Horus fraction system was based on the Eye of Horus symbol. This system was used to record prescriptions, land and grain.Fractions are created by combining sections of the Eye of Horus symbol. Each section has a different value. The complete Eye of Horus with all parts in place has a value of 1. In reality the complete Eye of Horus represents 63/64, which is rounded off to 1.The system is based on halves. Half of 1 equals 1/2, half of 1/2 equals 1/4 and so on until the smallest value of 1/64. By adding together the values of different sections fractions are created.The 'Rx' symbol which is used by pharmacies and in medicine has its origins in the Eye of Horus.
Horus, represented as the falcon-headed god, was an important god in Egyptian legend. The symbol representing his eye, Eye of Horus, was a powerful symbol used to protect from evil. Pronounced "udjat" by the Egyptians, the Eye of Horus represents a human eye with the cheek markings of a falcon.The ancient Egyptian Eye of Horus or wedjat ('Whole One') is a powerful symbol of protection, and is also considered to confer wisdom, health and prosperity.The ancient Egyptians considered the eye of horus as a representative of eternal renewal of the kingdom from Pharaoh to pharaoh. The ancient Egyptians believed that this symbol has a very powerful and magical effect on restoring harmony to the unstabilized world and restoring unrightful things.According to the old myth, the rivalling god Seth tore Horus' eye out. Seth was his uncle, who contended with him for the Egyptian throne after he had killed and dismembered his father, Osiris. Thot, the wise moon god and the patron of the sciences and the art of writing, put it patiently back in order and healed it. As an ambiguous symbol, it describes the status of regained soundness.In the field of astronomy it is the moon symbol absolute and refers to the increasing completion of the moon disk; the Eye of Horus symbol was inspired by the "Eye of God" and "solar falcon" that are manifested during total solar eclipses;In the most different sizes and degrees of preciousness of its materials, it served as an amulet worn around the neck or as a graphic motif for beautiful jewels; it decorated the lunettes of coffins and sarcophagi; it was part of a suspicious picture mysteries in the ornament of receptacles or other personal objects.The Eye of Horus symbol was used in funerary rites and decoration, as instructed in the Egyptian Book of the Dead. After 1200 BC, it was also used by the Egyptians to represent fractions, based on repeated division by two. The value of a fraction was assigned to each individual part of the eye which Seth had torn up according to the myth. Their total, corresponding to the restoration of the eye brought about by Thot, should have added up to a whole. In fact, however, the total of the six fractions used results in only 63/64; it was assumed that Thot had withheld the missing 1/64 by magic. The Eye of Horus fraction system was based on the Eye of Horus symbol. This system was used to record prescriptions, land and grain.Fractions are created by combining sections of the Eye of Horus symbol. Each section has a different value. The complete Eye of Horus with all parts in place has a value of 1. In reality the complete Eye of Horus represents 63/64, which is rounded off to 1.The system is based on halves. Half of 1 equals 1/2, half of 1/2 equals 1/4 and so on until the smallest value of 1/64. By adding together the values of different sections fractions are created.The 'Rx' symbol which is used by pharmacies and in medicine has its origins in the Eye of Horus.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)