As an educational tool, Essay (Wikipedia)

In countries like the United States, essays have become a major part of a formal education in the form of free response questions. Secondary students in these countries are taught structured essay formats to improve their writing skills, and essays are often used by universities in these countries in selecting applicants (see admissions essay). In both secondary and tertiary education, essays are used to judge the mastery and comprehension of material. Students are asked to explain, comment on, or assess a topic of study in the form of an essay. During some courses, university students will often be required to complete one or more essays that are prepared over several weeks or months. In addition, in fields such as the humanities and social sciences,^{[citation needed]} mid-term and end of term examinations often require students to write a short essay in two or three hours.

In these countries, so-called academic essays, which may also be called "papers", are usually more formal than literary ones.^{[citation needed]} They may still allow the presentation of the writer's own views, but this is done in a logical and factual manner, with the use of the first person often discouraged. Longer academic essays (often with a word limit of between 2,000 and 5,000 words)^{[citation needed]} are often more discursive. They sometimes begin with a short summary analysis of what has previously been written on a topic, which is often called a literature review.^{[citation needed]}

Longer essays may also contain an introductory page in which words and phrases from the title are tightly defined. Most academic institutions^{[citation needed]} will require that all substantial facts, quotations, and other porting material used in an essay be referenced in a bibliography or works cited page at the end of the text. This scholarly convention allows others (whether teachers or fellow scholars) to understand the basis of the facts and quotations used to support the essay's argument, and thereby help to evaluate to what extent the argument is supported by evidence, and to evaluate the quality of that evidence. The academic essay tests the student's ability to present their thoughts in an organized way and is designed to test their intellectual capabilities.

One essay guide of a US university makes the distinction between research papers and discussion papers. The guide states that a "research paper is intended to uncover a wide variety of sources on a given topic". As such, research papers "tend to be longer and more inclusive in their scope and with the amount of information they deal with." While discussion papers "also include research, ...they tend to be shorter and more selective in their approach...and more analytical and critical". Whereas a research paper would typically quote "a wide variety of sources", a discussion paper aims to integrate the material in a broader fashion.^[5]

One of the challenges facing US universities is that in some cases, students may submit essays which have been purchased from an essay mill (or "paper mill") as their own work. An "essay mill" is a ghostwriting service that sells pre-written essays to university and college students. Since plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty or academic fraud, universities and colleges may investigate papers suspected to be from an essay mill by using Internet plagiarism detection software, which compares essays against a database of known mill essays and by orally testing students on the contents of their papers

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essay#Film

7 Strategies to Prevent Burnout (Psychology Today)

Exactly four years ago today I stopped practicing law. I burned out during the last year of my law practice, which involved three visits to the ER, consulting numerous doctors, and experiencing near-daily panic attacks. Rebuilding my life has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but the years since have been some of the most rewarding of my life.

I’ve recently been interviewed on several radio shows, and regardless of the topic, people remain interested in my story and curious to know what burnout looks like and how it can be prevented. Inspired by your support to talk about my story in more detail, I’ve created a list of seven action steps that will help you slow or prevent the process of burning out. 

Increase your self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is having the belief in your own ability to accomplish (and exercise control over) personally meaningful goals and tasks. People who have a stronger level of perceived self-efficacy experience less stress in challenging situations, and situations in turn become less stressful when people believe they can cope (Bandura, 1989). The most direct and effective way to enhance self-efficacy is through performance mastery experiences. When you accomplish a goal, your brain asks, “Hmmm, what else can I do?” Another way to build self-efficacy is to find a self-efficacy “model.” Simply observing a friend or work colleague accomplish something meaningful is contagious and increases your ability to meet challenges head on (Bandura, 1997).

Identify what you need from your work. Harvard Business Review recently published an article identifying the six virtues of a dream company, as compiled from a list of hundreds of executives. The six virtues are as follows:

1. You can be yourself

2. You’re told what’s really going on

3. Your strengths are magnified

4. The company stands for something meaningful

5. Your daily work is rewarding

6. Stupid rules don’t exist

How does your company rate? While few companies meet all of these criteria, use this list as a starting point to create a more rewarding and engaged workplace.

Have creative outlets. Burnout interferes with your ability to perform well, increases rigid thinking, and decreases your ability to think accurately, flexibly, and creatively (Noworol, et al., 1993). Even if you aren’t able to flex your creative muscles at work, having some type of creative outlet will keep you engaged and motivated.

Take care of yourself. “There’s always something to do,” I can still hear my dad saying to me as I sat relaxing at the end of my shift at his plastic injection molding company. “Here’s a broom.” I find it very hard to just sit and relax because it always feels like there is something to do (and there usually is). When I was a lawyer, lunch often involved wolfing down some food-like substance at my desk while I continued to read contracts and catch up on emails. While my work ethic was outwardly admired, I was not working at a sustainable pace. It’s seductive to think we must always be present, sitting at our desks, in order for our worlds to run right, but our bodies aren’t machines (no matter how much caffeine and sugar you pump in). And really, whatever “it” is (work, chores, homework) will still be there after you take a much-needed break.

Get support where you can find it. The number of people who say they have no one with whom they can discuss important matters has nearly tripled in the past two and a half decades (McPherson et al., 2006). The more I burned out, the more I just wanted to hole up in my office and avoid people, and that was exactly the opposite of what I should have been doing. I didn’t want to let people know how awful I was really feeling because I thought it meant I was weak. It takes time and effort to maintain social connections, but supportive people are the best inoculation against burnout.

Get real and go there. I had to have some tough internal and external conversations when I burned out. I had to figure out why I started getting panic attacks at the age of 14, and why they came back. I had to figure out why I thought it was more impressive to become a lawyer instead of following my heart to become a writer. I had to dig deep to uncover why I was a people pleasing, perfectionist, achieve-aholic. I had to reconnect with my values. Getting real isn’t always pretty (which is probably why you’re avoiding it), but true happiness and burnout prevention depend on it.

Increase your diet of positive emotions. Studies show that increasing your diet of positive emotion builds your resilience, creativity (see #3 above), and ability to be solution-focused, things that are in short supply if you feel like you’re burning out. I made it a point to start noticing when people did things well (and told them so), and I tried to stop being so hard on myself. Aim for a ratio of positive emotions to negative emotions of at least 3:1, which is the tipping point to start experiencing increased resilience and happiness (Fredrickson, 2009).

Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, “Too many people die with their music still in them.” After finding this quote in another article I wrote, one of my readers asked me, “What if the problem is that people are still alive but their music has died?” And that my friends, is what burnout feels like – being alive but feeling like your music has died. My work involves making sure that never happens to you.

Link: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/pressure-proof/201306/7-strategies-prevent-burnout

What does Language Level A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2 mean?

The Common European Framework divides learners into three broad divisions which can be divided into six levels:

Basic Speaker A1 Breakthrough or beginner A2 Waystage or elementary Independent Speaker B1 Threshold or intermediate B2 Vantage or upper intermediate Proficient Speaker C1 Effective Operational Proficiency or advanced C2 Mastery or proficiency

The Common European Framework describes what a learner is supposed to be able to do in reading, listening, speaking and writing at each level:

	Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.
	Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.
	Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
	Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
	Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.
	Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in the most complex situations.

Link: http://www.deutsch-als-fremdsprache.org/en/faq/323-what-does-language-level-a1-a2-b1-b2-c1-and-c2-mean.html

How Long Does it take to Become Fluent in French?

There are so many factors to consider when thinking about Fluency (hence, the 1,600 word article). First, I will present a "scale" of fluency, then we'll get into the details of how long and how difficult the road ahead would be. To start on the same page, almost everybody has a different idea of what that fluency means. Sadly, what most people consider "fluent", is really the definition of the word literate. Fluency is the ability to communicate (speak, read, write, listen, etc..) in French effortlessly and correctly... without extensive thought towards syntax. While literacy means the ability to communicate and be understood (however, it requires more conscious thought). You can gauge yourself from the fluency scale provided below:

Fluency Scale:
Beginner: (Tourist Class) 

Je n'aurais jamais cru que vous vouliez apprendre le français.

A beginner is limited with vocabulary and grammar. Beginners may know simple greetings and phrases (Hello, how are you? what's your name? how old are you? etc...). They also know numbers, can usually tell time, and talk about the weather. Beginners can ask simple questions about other people (small talk), and express a sense of like and dislike. They may be able to talk to natives with extreme difficulty, and often with aides such as a pocket dictionary or memorization of phrases. Understanding natives is also difficult for beginners in an everyday environment. If spoken to slowly and directly (with conscience effort from a native), a beginner may fair well. Beginners can typically read "everyday signs" such as "no parking", "no smoking", "keep left", etc... However, reading or writing long texts is difficult. An immersion situation would be difficult for a beginner.

Intermediate: (Survivor)
An intermediate language learner can construct phrases and statements. They can utilize phrases that deal with time, weather, location, desires, and dislikes with little to no difficulty. Intermediate speakers can use the present, past, and future tenses, however they still make errors. They can understand native speakers on certain topics, when spoken to directly. Intermediate learners can have simple transactions in shops, can order something to eat, and can use public transportation. They have sufficient vocabulary to deal with day to day topics, and can describe themselves (hobbies, backgrounds, personal experiences). These speakers can read familiar topics and get the gist about what occurs in a television show or film. Intermediate learners can survive in an immersion situation; however, they may still have difficulty understanding natives (and sometimes are hesitant to interact).

Advanced: (Skilled Survivor)
An advanced learner can understand normal forms of media (TV, films, radio, newspapers, music) with little trouble. They can maintain conversation with natives and even be a part of conversations within noisy environments (i.e, more than one speaker or literal background noise). These learners can construct many sentences correctly, and change with a conversation. They have no trouble with the present, past, future, conditional, and imperfect tenses. They may still have some trouble with the subjunctive, but can recognize its use. Advanced learners can use phrases like "that's difficult to answer" to buy time and formulate what to say. They can also keep track of "favorite mistakes" and monitor them from time to time, or correct themselves when a Native doesn't fully understand. Advanced learners can handle reading long, constructed French articles, books, directions, etc. with little difficulty. For example, read this "advanced-level" passage by Flaubert out loud and really test how much you know: Madame Bovary [extrait].

Advanced French learners can create short, clear narratives or compositions, and can debate a topic both on paper or by speech. They have a knack for picking up vocabulary within context, and know some specialized vocabulary for familiar topics. Advanced learners are confident with at least some aspects of their language, and can survive in an immersion situation with little to no difficulty. These speakers are technically "literate" and have the ability to communicate with Natives almost effortlessly.

Fluent: (Literate Individual)
A fluent learner can understand all forms of media, converse with natives, be understood, and figure out context with little to no difficulty. They can talk in vibrant situations and can express themselves with an advanced vocabulary. They understand a good amount of slang terms and idioms, and use them appropriately. They have a good accent (although it may not necessarily be native) and can understand some dialects. They are capable of reading long texts, sometimes having to look up a word or two at most. Fluent learners can express themselves in writing, where their language skills do not hold them back. A fluent speaker could live in an immersion setting, because they essentially have the tools to communicate with those around them on a daily basis.

Native: (Mother Tongue) 
The language is either your first, or you've been speaking it for the majority of your childhood. You understand vocabulary, you can make conversation effortlessly, and you can read and write. You do not have a "foreign" accent, and you can understand dialects. This language is yours.


Fluency depends on several factors. Living in an area where French is predominantly spoken and you can have a good handling of the language within a year or two, this situation is called immersion. If you aren't living in a Francophone area (such as France or Québec for example), then Fluency could take anywhere from 5 to 10 years, (or more!) depending on these other factors:

1. The age when you first started speaking French. The earlier it's introduced, the better.
2. How much effort and time you put into learning French. Practicing everyday versus weekly... taking formal classes, quality of said classes. Think about this, somebody who spends an hour a day should learn more than a person who commits an hour a week. 
3. How capable you are at learning another language. Some people just have a natural talent, or better methods of language learning. There are people out there who can easily speak four, five, or six different languages... then there are those who struggle at their mother tongue. 

Let me add that although age may slow down your language learning abilities or it may not hinder you at all. You are NEVER too young or too old to start a new language. Hell, I just started learning Italian to impress my Italian girlfriend and it's so similar to French. Some people might be starting French as their 2nd or 3rd romance language - they know the rules, the vocabulary is similar... it may be quite easy because they have the experience with understanding other languages.

Regardless, isn't Fluency just a title? I like to say I could speak both French and English... even though, I will gladly admit that I'm not fluent (I am ranked as a C1 French speaker, a.k.a between advanced and fluent, according to the guidelines utilized in Europe). Proficiency is a way for humans to try and quantitatively measure your language skills - certain levels of proficiency may be required or desired for certain employed positions. Otherwise, how do we know if Sophie is a better French Speaker than Jean?

How hard is it to become fluent in French? Well, let me say that it can be quite difficult at first. You literally go from gaining words and phrases (like a baby) to becoming a "French Adult" throughout the whole process. You may get frustrated. You may get impatient. You may get tired. You may quit. However, obviously I'll suggest that you stick with it! Trust me, eventually you'll have enough vocabulary that if you stumble upon a word you don't know then you can figure out the context. But, learning French is difficult... there are many nuances and differences to how the French language is setup as opposed to English. Thinking that the journey ahead is going to be easy would be foolish.

How long to be French fluent? If you're thinking "six months", then you have to wake up and smell the coffee. Practicing everyday is the best way to get better. Without living in a Francophone country and assuming you're taking formal classes, I would estimate that it'll take at least five years (recognize the at least part) to become "fluent". There are tons of n oun genders, verb conjugations, and pronunciation subtlties which need to be learned - let alone sentence construction and vocabulary... the French language isn't something you just breeze through. Now, if you want to be "conversational" or "literate" as discussed at the start of this article, an intermediate level can be obtainable at roughly one or two years of studying well. A beginner level can be obtained from anywhere between 3 to 6 months all the way to two years depending on how effective your learning is.

I would advise that if you don't have the time commitment to learning French, then you need to figure that out now. Let me add that learning isn't something that you just do and then stop; languages are constantly evolving, and there's always so much more to learn! If you're happy with just being able to communicate well, then  it's possible to do so within two years to three years. Being totally serious, I've been learning English all my life and there's still words out there that I don't know... To me, there's no time concern with learning French because I'm a French learner for life and you should be one too. 

If you're going to learn French in a half-ass fashion, then your French will always be substandard, that's just the reality. 

So yes, it is hard work; but I'm here to help. This website provides a  French Language Learning section and Online French Resources to advance in the right direction.

If you have any comments, I'd love to hear them below. 

**THE ESTIMATED TIME OF ACHIEVEMENT is for monolingual English speakers who plan on taking Formal French Classes while using some extra resources. Of course the times are approximate and vary depending on individual language acquisition, quality of the language course instruction, supplemental effort by the individual, amount of practicing etc...

Source:  http://www.frenchcrazy.com/2011/08/how-long-does-it-take-to-become-fluent.html

 Independent Speaker B1 Threshold or intermediate

Upper Intermediate Level - Increased Understanding and Communicative Competence

Speaking

Upper intermediate level English learners have gained more confidence and can deal with a wide range of speaking situations. They generally have begun to become extremely proficient in expressing their opinions on topics they find interesting, or when speaking about their work. They can generally express their opinions on most topics, and ask more detailed questions when engaged in conversation. At work, they feel confident in their abilities to contribute to the conversation. Pronunciation only occasionally causes comprehension difficulties for others.

Writing

English learners at this level can perform most basic tasks with confidence. They have begun to use more complex structures and appropriate linking language in more extended passages. In academic and work situations, they are able to write more extended passages such as short essays, or one page memos.

Reading

Learners at the upper intermediate level begin to explore their own interests in more extended reading passages, or even in short stories and novels. They still need to use a dictionary from time to time, but can increasingly learn new vocabulary through context. They are proficient at skimming and scanning, and perform well in most comprehension activities.

Listening

Learners feel more comfortable with longer listening periods, even if they do not understand every word or phrase. Their grasp of the gist of most conversations help them understand longer formats such as movies, longer interviews etc. They have very few difficulties understanding and participating in one to one conversations.

Source:  http://esl.about.com/od/teachingenglish/a/ESL-Level-Rubric_3.htm

Lower Intermediate Level - Increasing Communicative Skills

Speaking

Lower intermediate level learners can use their English to complete most simple daily tasks such as asking for more information in shops, asking for recommendations in restaurants, asking for assistance in a hotel, etc. At work, English learners can provide basic information about tasks as well as ask for clarification. Learners still have difficulties in expressing extended opinions or using a wide range of vocabulary and structures to dig further into specifics. Pronunciation does not cause incomprehension, but can still provide difficult for interlocutors.

Writing

Learners at this level can write simple letters and e-mails explaining their current situations, as well as describe past events. Tense usage, while still not fluent, is generally clear in terms of past, present and future. Lower intermediate level learners can write some more extended passages, for example asking details about a certain topic, but will use only basic linking language in their written communications.

Reading

Learners at this level can read simple texts, understand gist of newspaper or magazine articles, but still have difficulties with detail. They can understand most service sector texts such as menus, bus and train schedules, brochures, etc. without much difficulty. They have begun to read more extended materials, but still have difficulties with vocabulary and deeper comprehension.

Listening

English learners at this level can deal with most basic situations such as asking for directions, responding to simple questions at work, etc. without having to ask for much repetition. In these common situations, they expect certain vocabulary and phrases and are familiar with usage. They still experience difficulties when listening to the radio or watching TV, but generally can understand the gist of the topics discussed in these formats. 

Source:  http://esl.about.com/od/teachingenglish/a/ESL-Level-Rubric_2.htm

Beginning Level Basic Communicative Skills

Speaking

English learners at this level can performs simple tasks in English such as ordering food in a restaurant with the help of visual aids, as well as complete simple transactions in shops. Learners can also provide basic explanations about themselves such as stating where they are from, their marital status, their current employment status, etc. Learners at this level can respond in many basic situations, but find difficulty in expressing and / or inquiring about further detail. Learners have noticeable pronunciation difficulties that can at times hinder their ability to be understood by others.

Writing

Learners at this level can fill in basic forms and complete simple written tasks such as writing a description of their daily routines, or completing a simple e-mail requesting or providing basic information such as meeting place, time, etc. Learners at this level tend to use simple sentences that lack complex structures such as clauses, generally with a lack of linking language. They also tend to make basic mistakes in tense usage even in basic narrations.

Reading

Learners at this level can scan for specific information such as TV schedule times, use bus schedules, etc. Learners have difficulties reading extended texts, but can generally understand the gist of very simple reading tasks.

Listening

English learners at this level still have great difficulty in understanding anything more than specific information such as time, location and topic. They can understand simple conversations and listening selections after multiple repetition to complete in-class tasks. 

Source:  http://esl.about.com/od/teachingenglish/a/ESL-Level-Rubric.htm