Drink yourself smarter

Can water make you smarter?  It can certainly help you to study better.  Since your brain is about 77 to 78% water, if you’re dehydrated, so is your brain.  This results in fatigue, headaches and an inability to concentrate, all of which will prevent you from studying effectively.  Therefore, you must make sure that you are always fully hydrated.  The easiest way to do this is by drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day.  This will help to replace the water that you lose through urine and sweat.  If you live in a hot climate or if you exercise heavily, you will need to drink more than that to replace the extra fluid lost through increased sweating.

In addition to helping your brain function at maximum capacity, drinking sufficient water every day will help our overall health as 'water is essential for the body's growth and maintenance' (BBC Health).  All About Water lists 10 reasons why we should drink water.  Some of the reasons they mention are an increased metabolism, increased energy levels,a reduced risk of certain cancers, reduced joint and back pain, healthier skin, improved digestion and improved circulation.

As well as drinking water, you should also eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, as these have very high water content and contain essential nutrients.  For more about the importance of eating healthily and the affect on studying see the earlier article You are what you eat.  For more advice about studying and how to improve your ability to study effectively get the Super Fast Guide, StudySkills, How to be smarter instantly.  I'm off now for a glass of water!

IELTS – How to prepare and practise for the exam

If you need to take the IELTS test in order to study or live in an English speaking country you will need to do several things first:

1.      Register for the test.  For information and advice about this see the article, ‘IELTS – What is it and how can you take it?’

2.      Find out what the test involves.  How many papers are there?  What are you expected to do in each paper? What are the examiners looking for?  For help with this, I suggest you get the Super Fast Guide to the test ‘IELTS: How to succeed in the test’.  You can also visit the Super Fast Guides website for some extra tips.

3.      Practise doing the test using example exam papers. There are several ways you can do this: 

a)      You can get sample papers and exercises on the internet, for example at the British Council website, Learn English. 

b)      You can buy IELTS practice materials directly from the IELTS website. 

c)      You can buy an IELTS text book with example tests and exercises, such as Barron’s IELTS.

d)     You can attend an IELTS preparation course, for example at your local British Council.

Whichever method you choose, you should practise as much as you can before you take the test. If you have good self discipline, you may find it is better to study alone at home with practice materials using methods a), b) or c).  However, if you have the time and money, you may find that method d) is better for you, because taking a preparation course provides you with a teacher who can give you guidance and feedback on your work, as well as answering any questions you may have. You will also have the support of working with other students who are planning to take the test. 

Use whichever method works best for you, or a combination of methods, to practise for the test and good luck!  I hope you get the score you need.

How to get certification to teach English as a foreign language (TEFL)

Super Fast Guides published this article on WikiHow earlier this summer.  For people who are interested in TEFL and teaching Engish abroad, we are republishing the entire article here:

  

Would you like to travel the world teaching English? Getting certification before you go will help you to get a good contract and show you what to do before you enter the language classroom in a foreign country.

Steps

1. Choose a good course. The main, intial qualification is called the CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) or Cert TESOL (Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language).
   
2. Don't waste money on an 'introduction' or 'starter' course. They aren't worth anything to potential employers and are a waste of both your time and money.
   
3. The CELTA course generally takes 4 weeks, full time and can be very intensive. Alternatively, you can study part-time over approximately 12 weeks.
   
4. Take a good, accredited course, even if it costs more money and takes more time. You will find that it is worth the investment when you start looking for jobs. With a proper certificate you are much more likely to be offered a good contract with decent conditions and salary.
   
5. Get a recognised qualification. The two most recognised certificate qualifications are: Cambridge University's ESOL (English as a Second Language) CELTA and the Trinity CertTESOL. International House, London regularly offers Cambridge CELTA courses, both full-time and part-time, as well as an online course.
   
6. The course is a combination of theory and practice. There are input sessions which explain the theory of language teaching, grammar, vocabulary and skills teaching. There are also practice sessions in which you are expected to plan and deliver an English language lesson to a group of foreign students. In addition, you will observe other experienced teachers teaching so that you can see best practice.
   

Tips

• If you would like to make a long-term career out of teaching English as a foreign language, you might want to take the Diploma course, the DELTA, after you have gained a couple of years' experience.

Warnings

• The course is very intensive. Try not to do it when you have other commitments.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Teach English As a Second Language Worldwide
  

Sources and Citations

• http://www.ihlondon.com/celta-23/blended-celta/
  
• http://www.trinitycollege.co.uk/site/?id=2093
  
• http://www.superfastguides.com/Language-Learning.html
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Get Certification to Teach English As a Foreign Language. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.