Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Fun Physics Experiments For Kids

Fun Physics Experiments For Kids Experimenting With Physics For Kids ChaptersFun Physics Experiments For KidsSchool Science Project Fair TipsKids love to explore, discover and ask questions.Even by the age of two or three, when they first start speaking, many children begin to respond to anything you say to them with 'why?'! Even before they are mobile, a child will still spend time trying to get their head around how things in this world work, like switches, flaps and doorknobs, and so on.Their curious minds develop from the moment they are born and they spend their first years trying to take in as much about the world as they possibly can. This doesn't stop or slow down when they start school and begin to learn about entirely new subjects and concepts, in fact, this only makes them keener to explore more about this world they live in.Babies begin exploring the world around them from inside the womb and they become more curious as they become more mobile and their mind develops. Photo credit: quinn.anya on Foter.com / CC BY-SAIn an ideal world, paren ts and teachers want to encourage children in the care to:listenobserveexploreexperimentreinventtestevaluatequestionthink criticallyand more…Thankfully, Physics as a school science subject helps to answer many of their big questions, such as our place in our solar system, how cars work, how an airplane  stays up in the sky and more. What's more, it forces them to do most of the above without even giving it a second thought.From catapults to rockets, stars to planets, you will find something that will get children excited about learning about Physics at home or in the classroom, you simply need to keep the momentum up!Just take a look at some of the fun experiments, games, and quizzes that we've discovered which can add to the fun of educating your kids about Physics!With the help of these hands on  science activities, encourage your kids to make predictions, discuss what they've seen and learned, and re-test their ideas to absorb as much information as they can.Science is often a mysterious  thing for children to behold and, naturally, they just love to figure things out on their own (with your help and supervision, of course!).Don’t do the project for your child! Many parents tend to jump in and make children’s work cleaner and more presentable, or simply get too involved so that it is no longer the child's work. Instead, let them do the learning (which will also improve their ability to do scientific research and present their findings in the future) and the work in their own way. Think of yourself as a helpful guide who facilitates the project rather than controls it.3. Together, choose something age appropriate.When your child has the freedom to choose their prep, homework or science fair project, then choosing the idea they want to try is important but it must also be vetted by an adult to make sure it's not too ambitious a feat! Simply make sure your child is capable of completing the steps of the project themselves, with minimal input and supervis ion from you.Need some help? Get a Physics and Maths tutor S1.4. Use STEAM ideasSTEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths, and the buzzwork STEAM has 'stemmed' from this.  STEAM concepts incorporate science projects that crossover into art, math, engineering and more, so be sure to look up ideas online before you march ahead with your science project!As with most things, you can easily search for inspiration for science projects for kids online by using keywords or relevant questions, For instance, you might like to Google science videos on how to make slime, how does a lava lamp work, how to create a balloon rocket, how to construct simple machines, how to make dancing raisin, what happens when you mix diet coke and mentos, and other ideas for kids.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Biology Revision Books The Best Books to Learn Biology

Biology Revision Books The Best Books to Learn Biology Study Biology the Old-Fashioned Way, with Science Books. ChaptersClassic Science Books to Help Your Biology RevisionMore Biology Resources: Using Science Magazines to Study BiologyThe Most Trusted Biology TextbooksStudying a subject like biology can open up a whole range of different options for a student. Yes, of course, you can progress to become a proper research scientist, but you can also go on to achieve careers in medicine, psychology, and sport. It’s an incredibly diverse and rewarding discipline, but, as it ain’t the easiest you’ll engage with at school, there’s one important thing that you can’t forget to do: revise.Whilst biology may offer fascinating opportunities, most of these demand a proven record of excellence (think about medicine, for example, something notoriously difficult to pursue through university). So, if that’s where you want to be, you’re going to need to get your biology books out and knuckle down.But enough of the scary stuff. Part of revision should be to seek and cultivate the joy that your sub ject brings: it’s tough to get through a biology course or biology exam without enjoying it even slightly. So, look around you and think about all the things that biology does for you â€" in your genes and DNA, but also in the growth of trees, plants, and animals. Almost everything you can think about is biological deep down.Discover some of the best A level biology courses here.Here, we are going to talk about the best books you can use to unlock the fascinating world of the biological science â€" and to rock your examination at the same time. We have textbooks (which we’ll keep to the end), magazines, and some of the classics of scientific literature â€" which should give your personal revision the inspiration it needs to be successful.  If books aren’t your cup of tea (although, honestly, they should be), or you are looking for a diversity of resources to revise for your biology topics, we have articles on the best websites for biology revision, the best biology apps and p odcasts, and a guide to general biology revision resources.Did we really evolve from the same thing as gorillas? MahimaBiology Teacher 5.00 (10) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndyBiology Teacher 5.00 (2) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlishaBiology Teacher 5.00 (10) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SaifBiology Teacher 5.00 (9) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FrankBiology Teacher 5.00 (8) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HeavenliBiology Teacher £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SiobhanBiology Teacher £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MackenzieBiology Teacher 5.00 (2) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsClassic Science Books to Help Your Biology RevisionLet’s start with the interesting ones (as we probably all agree that a biology textbook is not the most compelling way to revise). Here, we have put together some of the most compelling, readable, and interesting biology books around, not to mention the most ground-breaking and influential.Many students are a little scared of reading the works of actual scientists, as they have the impression of being a little intimidating. Don’t let them be, for two reasons.Firstly, biology is not something that happens just in the classroom: it is something that many, many people are interested in, and it’s happening all around us. Secondly, these writers are actually fun to read â€" something that textbooks often, simply, aren’t.On the Origin of Species, by Charles DarwinTake a deep breath and read altogether the ridiculously long title of the book by probably the most famous biologist in history: On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. This text by Charles Darwin literally invented evolutionary biology.So, what? Whilst the title might be a little off-putting, this text was written for the general public and is consequently highly rea dable, clear, and filled with fascinating examples. Darwin’s discoveries changed the way everyone thought about the history of life and laid the bedrock for what you now learn in your biology class.Search for a  biology tutor  on Superprof now.Modern biology would be nothing without this text.The Selfish Gene, by Richard DawkinsIf you are not so interested in starting from the beginning of the history of evolution, try the work of pop scientist and controversialist, Richard Dawkins, Darwin’s biggest fan.His works engage essentially with moral issues from the perspective of evolutionary biology â€" and he is a brilliant writer. So, if you are interested in the ways in which genetics influences the daily life of human beings, check this one out: it’s accessible, fun, and really important.Look up for  biology tutors near me  now.Silent Spring, by Rachel CarsonRachel Carson was a conservationist, marine biologist, and best-selling author whose work and activism brought environment alism to the public conscience. If it wasn’t for this book, people would care a lot less about ecology, biodiversity, and the protection of the earth.Published in 1962, Silent Spring took aim at the chemical industry which, Carson argued, was causing widespread damage to the environment through the development and use of pesticides. Its larger message was that humans are having a massively detrimental effect on the planet.I Contain Multitudes, by Ed YongReally, one of the most jaw-dropping parts of biology is the study of bacteria, or bacteriology. According to Ed Yong, our organism is covered in over forty trillion bacteria. That’s on one body. If you think about what happens on all living organisms, the whole diversity of life, the mind boggles at the numbers of these teeny-weeny microorganisms.Ed Yong’s books studies all of this and tells the story of this ecosystem of microscopic creatures with page-turning narratives of sex and drugs and rock ‘n’ roll.Revise your know ledge of microorganisms with these biology books.More Biology Resources: Using Science Magazines to Study BiologyIf you’re not that into biology but you want to dip in and out of a broad range of biology topics in preparation for your exams, try using science magazines â€" which will cover all aspects of life on Earth, from introductory articles on plant biology to more in-depth pieces on the origin of life. These will include the newest developments in biology too â€" and they are written for the general reader, so you won’t struggle at all.New ScientistThe New Scientist is not a dedicated biology magazine (a clue is sort of in the name), as its features cover everything from space, chemistry, health, and the environment. Yet, you’ll find in amongst these topics some incredibly interesting articles about all things biology â€" from molecular biology to zoology.It’s a very prestigious magazine, and most of the content is online â€" but there is a special discount on subscrip tions for students, which you might want to take a look at.Start taking biology tuition now.The BiologistThe Biologist is the magazine of the Royal Society of Biology, the British institute for everything biological. Alongside news reports from the biology community, The Biologist has opinion pieces on ethical and political dilemmas that face the sciences and the natural world. This is a great to way to consider your own thoughts on scientific issues.Sure, you can subscribe for the gorgeously glossy magazine itself, but you can also read features online â€" you’ll just miss out on the pictures.American ScientistIf you like your science with sumptuous visuals, try the American Scientist, another magazine that, like the New Scientist, covers all aspects of the discipline. From addiction to rewilding to extra-terrestrial life to cell structure, American Scientist provides coverage of all major research and ideas in science, with a very nicely designed website.Find the biology resourc es you need in a library.The Most Trusted Biology TextbooksAnd so, we come to it, the nemesis of fun biology study: the textbook. Before you groan, we already know that these are the bane of a student’s life.However, they are also super useful to help you prepare for your exams, as, funnily enough, textbooks are usually designed with the exam in mind, endorsed by the exam board, and written for an audience such as you. So, quit the whining, because they are sort of indispensable.Without further ado, then, here are the most reliable biology textbooks for all biology qualifications.CGP for GCSE Biology and A Level (Revision and Practice)CGP are well known as revision aids for any subject. They generally cover the main content of the exam in a very clear style, and in the most entertaining way possible. For both GCSE and A Level, they will sort you right out.What is good about CGP books is that, alongside the helpful content, they have practice books too, filled with mock questions, quizzes, and model answers to guide you through your biology course.Look up for A level biology tutors  now.Oxford’s AQA A Level Biology Revision GuideAs with most things published by the Oxford University Press, this guide to AQA’s Biology A Level is very reliable, comprehensive, and easy to follow. Here, you will find information on all parts of the syllabus as well as handy tips on how best to answer the questions in the exam. A very helpful resource.IB Biology by OSCNot many of you will be studying for the International Baccalaureate, but for those who are, your best bet is the OSC Biology revision guides. With quizzes, exam preparation guidance, clarity on the fundamental parts of the course, and help to answer long-form questions.Biology Textbooks for OCR and EdexcelAs with all other exam boards, you will be able to find dedicated, board-specific textbooks for OCR and Edexcel courses. Those by the publisher, Pearson, are excellent for the Edexcel course, whilst the OUP’s OCR textbook is the best around for those studying for that exam board.

Chemistry Revision Websites

Chemistry Revision Websites Which Websites Offer the Best Chemistry Revision Materials? ChaptersGeneral Studies in ChemistryGCSE Chemistry Revision WebsitesA-Level Chemistry RevisionAdmittedly, Chemistry ranks right up there with other subjects that induce anxiety and outright fear, such as maths and physics.However, just like those subjects, chemistry is nothing to worry about once it’s broken down into its elemental components â€" just as your Chemistry teacher has no doubt told you, over and over again!If you have no natural curiosity or affinity for the discipline, it would be understandable that poring over the same study materials â€" your textbooks and class notes would make your eyes blur and bring you no closer to that sublime moment when, suddenly, it all makes sense.Especially if you are staring your end of semester school exams straight in the face or are preparing to sit your GCSEs or A-Levels, you may need a bit of a boost; a change of study habits...Or, maybe new ways to look at the material.Superprof has taken the matter in hand to deliver you the best websites where you can get a different perspective on the matter... pun intended.Let’s outline our findings now.Perhaps those students benefit from private tutoring with an excellent chemistry teacher who has empowered them to grasp every bit of new information and place it correctly in their storehouse of knowledge.That option is open to you too, you know... as is the choice to progress in class rather than just skate by and panic on exam day.It is perfectly understandable that textbooks would not exactly stir a longing for information in you but, on the other hand, what if you could absorb the same information, presented differently?ThoughtCo has put together an assortment of worksheets, rules â€" for naming covalent and ionic compounds, and name/formula guides.You may also find their anion names chart useful, along with the types of chemical names and their differences and a comprehensive guide to chemical laws.Are you not quite confident in naming chemical formulas? No worrie s, there is also a guide for that!You may also learn them from an online chemistry tutor...In fact, it can be difficult to steer away from this massively educational website, so maybe you should bookmark it for further perusal.What’s so great about this site is that all of the information is packaged in easily-digestible bites, complete with links to further reading and, often, to explanations and examples of what is being discussed.It also provides printable worksheets and instructional videos.ThoughtCo is not the only great learning website out there...What if you need to know the properties of hexavalent chromium or alternate names for methyl ethyl ketone?Of course, you could simply google those names and Wikipedia will (often) leap to your rescue but, what if we told you there is a one-stop, professional page that discusses any chemical you might need to know about?ChemSpider is THE chemical compounds lexicon that provides, at a glance, any substances’ composition, molecular structure, properties, interactions... in short, anything you ever wanted to know about any chemical you are confronted with.Is the compound you’re researching water-soluble? Is it toxic? Flammable? What is its molecular weight? How is it used? All of those questions and more will be answered on this site.A note of caution, though: this information is meant for the chemistry professional. There are no frills or anecdotes adorning these pages; you may find their sheer starkness off-putting.However, were you to build a collection of flashcards to aid your study efforts, this would be the site to draw comprehensive information from.Naturally, if you are studying for your A-Levels, you may want to ask your A Level chemistry tutor to explore this page with you...If you were looking for a more... entertaining, interactive page to study chemistry from, you might prefer Creative Chemistry.Here again is a veritable treasure trove of information for anyone hoping to make sense of the world on a molecular level.The site is equally suitable for teachers and students and is divided into pages for both.Once you select the student pages, you will be treated to a host of hyperlinks that lead to further sites; anything from an in-depth explanation of the periodic table to which chemist won the Nobel prize every year since 1901, and what their discovery was.However, where this page really shines is in its review materials.Whether for a routine chemistry class exam or in preparation of your GCSEs or A-Levels, this site has entire pages dedicated to your efforts.Whether you will sit AQA’s double science, modular chemistry or both, you will find helpful revision material: not just what to expect on exam day but quizzes and interactive games to hone your knowledge of chemistry topics.For you who are preparing to sit the A-Levels, you may find their step by step exam guide useful:AS Module 1 topics: Atomic structure, bonding, periodicityAS Module 2 topics: Physical and inorgani c chemistry (foundation level)AS Module 3 topics: Organic chemistry (introduction)A2 Module 4 topics: Further physical and organic chemistryA2 Module 5 topics: Thermodynamics and further inorganic chemistryAs you can see by this study plan breakdown, these revision materials mirror your exam structure by providing you with these topics in the same sequence you meet them in on your exam.There is so much to be had at this site that it would be best for you to explore it with your chemistry tutor. Meanwhile, we move on to sites dedicated to exam prep...Can you explain why these solutions are kept in dark glass bottles? Source: Pixabay Credit: GellengerGCSE Chemistry Revision WebsitesAs your performance on this exam is at least career-defining â€" if not life-defining, it would naturally follow that plenty of resources exist to ensure your success.For one, you could check out online revision tools: apps, podcasts videos and more, to help you study chemistry!Are you perplexed at the diff erence between an acid and a base? What is it about the formation of molecules that simply escapes you? And why are some chemical reactions lethal while others are rather fun to observe?If the extent of your knowledge about chemical bonding involves some glue-like substance, you need to spend time with Revision Science; a website built for the express purpose of mastering everything you studied in general chemistry classes.Not only does it cover everything you need to know about acids and bases, but it will take you through the structures of atoms and how they bond, what carbon compounds are â€" plastics, polymers and crude oil with all of its derived products, and they even provide past GCSE papers for you to review.All of the study materials on this site are free to use but those on the TES website charge a fee for their compilation of study materials.You may wonder why anyone would pay for any such materials or even buy chemistry revision books when there is so much information t o be had for free, and you would have a good argument.The issue with materials that don’t cost anything is that they may be out of date or otherwise not suited to your purposes.As fast as discoveries are made in the scientific community, relying on possibly outdated materials could cost you valuable exam points.TIP: whether free or for a fee, always check your study resources’ date of publication.We aver that all of the study materials presented in this article correspond with next year’s exam, and so does this next site’s.Goconqr will not ask you for any money but they do require you to create an account before perusing their revision materials â€" and what a wealth of materials they have!This site treats you to study resources for chemistry, biology and physics; the three branches of science you will be tested on. And, they are very specific about the topics you must review for successful exam completion!Still searching for  chemistry tutors near me? Superprof is here to h elp...Can you draw the molecular structure of these chemicals? Source: Pixabay Credit: GellingerA-Level Chemistry RevisionWe mentioned a page or two that would be helpful to A-Level candidates earlier but we would be remiss if we didn’t talk more about chemistry revision resources meant exclusively for these students.Whether you anticipate sitting AQA, OCR or Edexel, A-Level Chemistry has the revision guide you need.You will have to create a login, after which any of the papers corresponding to your exam will be available to you.You will also be treated to sample test questions, past papers and the exam’s marking scheme.Studywise offers all of that and more!On this site again you will choose materials tailored to the exam you anticipate sitting, but then you could go further to take quizzes â€" test your knowledge to find your weak spots, watch revision videos hosted by past A-Levels students and look at notes and past papers.Most likely, you have received a list of revision mat erials available, no matter which exam you are preparing for â€" GCSE or A-Level.We hope to round out your resources with some that have perhaps not made it into the recommendations you’ve already received. To that end, we’ve compiled them all into this table, including a couple from across the pond that may give you a different perspective.Please copy and paste the sites’ name into your browser’s address bar.Website NameWhat You Can FindSuitable Forhttps://www.thoughtco.com/chemistry-4133594Videos, text, worksheetseveryonehttp://www.chemspider.comChemical names, properties, molecular structureseveryonehttps://www.creative-chemistry.org.ukWorksheets, texts, quizzes, exam revision materials,everyonehttps://revisionscience.com/gcse-revision/chemistrytexts, periodic table, videos, exam revision materialseveryonehttps://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/aqa-gcse-chemistry-c10-revision-using-resources-11886392texts, past papers and marking schemesGCSE candidateshttps://www.goconqr.co m/en/gcse/subjects/science/text, videos, past papers and marking schemesGCSE candidateshttps://studywise.co.uk/a-level-revision/chemistry/physical organic and inorganic chemistry revision, past papersA-Level candidateshttps://alevelchemistry.co.ukAQA, OCR and Edexel targeted review materialsA-Level candidateshttps://www.khanacademy.orgAll aspects of chemistry study in video formateveryonehttps://www.syvum.com/squizzes/chem/interactive games, worksheets and quizzeseveryoneHappy studies!

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Diagram of Female Reproductive System Online Biology Tutors Tutorpace

Diagram of Female Reproductive System Online Biology Tutors Tutorpace The female reproductive system consists of Ovaries, Fallopian tubes, Uterus, vagina, external genitalia and a pair of Bartholins glands. Ovaries: The ovaries are small, oval-shaped glands which are located on either side of the uterus. They produce eggs and hormones. Fallopian tubes: The narrow tubes that are attached to the upper part of the uterus and serve as a passage for the ova or egg to travel from the ovaries to the uterus. The fertilization of an egg by a sperm occurs in the fallopian tubes. The fertilized egg then moves to the uterus and gets implanted into the lining of the uterine wall. Uterus: It is a hollow, pear-shaped organ that is the home to a developing fetus. It is divided into two parts- the cervix, which is the lower part that opens into the vagina, and the main body of the uterus, called the corpus. Vagina or birth canal: The vagina is a canal that joins the cervix which is the lower part of uterus to the outside of the body. The main external structures are: Labia majora: They enclose and protect the other external reproductive organs. The labia majora are relatively large and fleshy and contain sweat and oil-secreting glands. Labia minora: They are very small or up to 2 inches wide. They lie inside the labia majora, and surround the openings to the vagina and urethra Bartholins glands: They are located besides the vaginal opening and produce a mucus secretion.

Today Youll Learn Contractions in Only 10 Minutes!

Today Youll Learn Contractions in Only 10 Minutes! When I went to the US for Thanksgiving, it didnt take long for me to get sick of the cheesy Christmas ads on TV.  Maybe I just needed to get in the holiday spirit, and this commercial by Wes Anderson helped.  No matter which holidays you do or dont celebrate, we can probably all agree on the greatness of Andersons films.  My personal favorites are The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Darjeeling Limited.  So, as we enjoy this short and sweet Christmas ad, well review contractions and practice them.What are English contractions:Two words put together to make a shortened version.  Some letters are omitted and replaced with an apostrophe ()When we do we use  English contractions:Youll commonly hear and use contractions in speakingInformal writingyoull notice Ive used a lot of contractions already in this post.  This is because Id like to convey an informal, conversational tone.When we DO NOT use English contractions:Formal writing: CVs, cover letters, essays, theses, etc.In order to re member which letters to omit, youve just got to practice.  Complete this exercise by filling in the blanks in the comments section.  Then choose one contraction from each section and use it in a sentence.English Contraction ListWill:I will = ___you will = _____we will = well  (Well see each other tonight.)they will = theyllhe will = ____she will = _____it will = ____Be:I am =  __you are =  youre  (Youre my best friend.)we are = ____they are = ______he is = ___she is = ___it is = ___Present Perfect form:I have = Ive  (Ive been waiting for you for an hour.)you  have = youvewe have = ____they have = ______he has = hesshe has = ____it has = ___Bonus:let us = letswe use this to make a suggestion that include ourselves.  For example, lets go!

Music Teachers To Our Ears

Music Teachers To Our Ears Hi! I’m Lucy, and I’m here to help YOU! become a music teacher with Tutorfair! We’ve had lots of students asking for music lessons so I’m scouring the orchestra and choir stalls looking for passionate instrumental and singing teachers. Our students range from complete beginners to budding musicians practising for their Grade 8 and beyond. Our music teachers include professional performers, peripatetic music teachers, ex-members of bands, composers, wannabe composers (that’d be me), barking mad musicians (that’d be Pippi our office puppy), musicians that wail like a cat (like Princess our office kitten), and people like our fantastic violinist  Julia, or our piano maestro Simone: In a past life I was a Choral Scholar at St Peter’s College, Oxford University, and I know how important having a great music teacher is to get you to the top of your musical game. Whether it’s teaching piano, violin, cello, flute, oboe, singing, drums, guitar or theremin* there are so many brilliant music teachers out there looking to inspire their pupils, and Tutorfair is the best place to find them. Please sign up and become a music teacher: www.tutorfair.com/become-tutor * £100 prize for the first qualified Theremin tutor to sign up!

These Mutually Intelligible Languages Will Make You Do a Double Take

These Mutually Intelligible Languages Will Make You Do a Double Take These Mutually Intelligible Languages Will Make You Do a Double Take Sometimes a foreign language makes you do a double take.Theres something familiar about it you just cant place.You havent studied it, but youre able to understand a little.Whats going on?Well, so-called foreign languages arent always as foreign as youd expect.In fact, some are even somewhat comprehensible even if you havent studied them.This might come as a shock, but dont let your jaw hit the floor too quicklyâ€"theres a good reason for understanding a language youve never studied: mutual intelligibility.Briefly put, mutual intelligibility is when speakers of one language can understand a related language to some degree.Yes, some languages are mutually intelligible. So if youve studied one, you may very well understand some of another. While you probably wont pick up everything, you might pick up more than you think.But how does this help you? Why Should You Be Aware of Mutually Intelligible Languages?First of all, once you make yourself aware of mutually intelligible languages, y ou might realize that you understand more languages than you thought. Nothing feels better than abruptly realizing that learning one language has prepared you to understand many.Furthermore, understanding this connection can make it easier to learn an additional language. If you choose to study a language thats mutually intelligible with one you already know, chances are youll have to put a lot less work in than if you were learning a language from scratch.If youre  learning multiple languages at once, pairing similar languages is a great way to maximize your studying. After all,  memorizing words  is a lot easier if theyre the same or similar across languages.Finally, understanding mutual intelligibility gives you helpful insight into the history of a language. Sets of similar languages  usually are a result of shared origin, so knowing a little more about mutual intelligibility can help you understand this origin.With a little more understanding of language origins, you can also s tart to see root words across languages. Over time, you might be able to guess words you havent learned just based on roots you are familiar with.And while were on the subject of studying multiples languages, using a program like FluentU will make it much easier.  FluentU is an online immersion platform that takes real-world videosâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.So once youve decided which languages youll be focusing on, FluentU will get you fluent faster!What You Should Know About Mutually Intelligible LanguagesLinguistic DistanceLinguistic distance is the relative degree of difference between languages or dialects. How this is measured varies, but mutual intelligibility and vocabulary overlap often play a role in these calculations.Lexical SimilarityThis term is similar to linguistic distance in that it can reflect how similar or different languages are. However, lexical similarity focuses on exclusively overlapping vocabulary to determine similarity between languages.Mutual IntelligibilityMutual intelligibility  refers to whether speakers of one language can understand speakers of another language. This understanding can be in spoken or written communication. Mutual intelligibility also occurs in a wide variety of degrees, ranging from none, to partial, to full mutual intelligibility.Between some languages, there can also be imbalanced mutual intelligibility, known as asymmetric intelligibility. This occurs when speakers of one language can understand a related language to a greater degree than speakers of the related language can understand the other.Frequency of exposure is one of the main causes of this. If speakers of one language have more exposure to its related language, theyre likely to pick up more of that language.DialectTraditionally, dialects differ from languages in that dialects are regional variations of one main language. Usually, theyre at least part ially mutually intelligible with the main language they stem from.That being said, the line between a language and a dialect is fuzzy at best. For instance, Portuguese and Spanish have a relatively high degree of mutual intelligibility, but theyre technically separate languages.The Chinese language, on the other hand, is comprised of a number of dialects that arent always mutually intelligible.These Mutually Intelligible Languages Will Make You Do a Double TakeIts important to note that mutual intelligibility is highly subjective. Between sources, you might find some claiming that two languages are mutually intelligible, while other sources claim those same languages arent.Because mutual intelligibility comes in varying degrees, its hard to determine how much overlap there needs to be for something to be mutually intelligible. Therefore, this list will focus on common languages widely thought to be at least partially mutually intelligible.If youre interested in assessing the similar ities between languages,  elinguistics.net  offers a fun tool to play around with. Here, you can enter any two languages to calculate the similarity between their basic vocabulary.The lower the number, the more similar the languages and the greater likelihood of mutual intelligibility. Its important to note, however, that these are entirely computer-generated and the degrees of similarity dont always match calculations from other sources.ArabicThere are distinct regional variations of Arabic. However, many of these dialects are at least partially mutually intelligible. Rural variations are usually less mutually intelligible.While common speech from urban areas isnt always mutually intelligible across regions, speakers from these regions can often use a more formal form of Arabic to speak with each other. Additionally, some Arabic speakers may be familiar with Egyptian Arabic through the media, so they may rely on this to bridge any language gaps.Tunisian Arabic is also considered mu tually intelligible with Maltese, particularly with regards to idiomatic expressions.EnglishScots (one of three native languages spoken in parts of Scotland) and English are considered mutually intelligible. However, speakers of Scots usually have an easier time understanding English than vice versa because they have a greater exposure to the language through the media.English speakers usually havent heard much (if any) Scots, so theyll understand less of it. In writing, however, Scots looks a lot like English (albeit with some spelling variations). In fact, the two languages are so similar that some have proposed Scots is a dialect of English rather than a distinct language.For more on the relation between Scots and English, ielanguages.com  has a helpful article.FrenchFrench has a reasonable degree of lexical similarity with Italian,  Sardinian, Romansh, Portuguese, Romanian and Spanish, making it partially mutually intelligible with these languages.According to language reference site Ethnologue, French has 89% lexical similarity with Italian, 80% similarity with Sardinian (spoken on the Italian island of Sardinia), 78% similarity with Romansh (spoken in parts of Switzerland) and 75% similarity with Portuguese, Romanian and Spanish. Thats a lot of Romance language bang for your learning buck!GermanGerman is partially mutually intelligible with Yiddish and Dutch.Because they use different alphabets, German and Yiddish are only mutually intelligible when spoken. (You can hear the similarities  here). Yiddish speakers usually have an easier time understanding German than vice versa, largely because Yiddish has added words from other languages, including Hebrew and Slavic languages, which makes it more difficult for German speakers to understand.In writing, German is also somewhat mutually intelligible with Dutch. However, Dutch speakers usually understand more German than the reverse because they study German in school.ItalianItalian is partially mutually inte lligible with French, Catalan, Sardinian, Spanish, Ladin and RomanianEthnologue  estimates 89% lexical similarity with French, 87% similarity with Catalan (spoken in Southern Spain), 85% with Sardinian, 82% with Spanish, 78% with Ladin (spoken in Northern Italy) and 77% with Romanian.PortuguesePortuguese has varying degrees of mutual intelligibility with Spanish, Galician, French and Italian.It has a very high degree of mutual intelligibility with Galician (spoken in Northwestern Spain), which is a language thats sort of a cross between Portuguese and Spanish. Portuguese also has a high degree of mutual intelligibility with Spanish.While not usually considered mutually intelligible, theres also enough similarity between French and Italian that speakers of Portuguese may understand a little of these languages.RussianRussian is partially mutually intelligible with Russyn, Ukrainian and Belarusian.Jeff Lindsay  estimates that Russian has 85% intelligibility with Rusyn (which has a smal l number of speakers in Central and Eastern Europe). Russian is also 85% mutually intelligible with Belarusian and Ukrainian in writing. However, Russian is only 74% mutually intelligible with spoken Belarusian and 50% mutually intelligible with spoken Ukrainian.Russian speakers are also likely to understand some Bulgarian, along with other Slavic languages to a lesser extent.SpanishSpanish has varying degrees of mutual intelligibility with Galician, Portuguese, Catalan, Italian, Sardinian and French.Spanish is most mutually intelligible with Galician. Its also highly intelligible with Portuguese in writing, though less so when spoken. The overall lexical similarity between Spanish and Portuguese is estimated by  Ethnologue  to be 89%.Spanish and Catalan have a lexical similarity of 85%.  Spanish is also partially mutually intelligible with Italian, Sardinian and French, with respective lexical similarities of 82%, 76% and 75%.So give these mutually intelligible languages a second l ook. They have more in common than you might think! And One More ThingWith FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the way that real people speak them.FluentU has a wide variety of videos, like movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse ScreenFluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover over or tap on the subtitles to instantly view definitions.FluentU Interactive TranscriptsYou can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs quiz mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.