Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas and thanks for all the support and good wishes over the year. We’re using the seasonal lull to build enhanced features for our online meeting rooms. More details in the new year….

View what tutors are online now on the homepage

Now you can view what tutors are online now on the 24-7tutorials.com homepage

The Learning Curve Institute

Liam Printer, Head of Languages from The Learning Curve Institute will be online on 24-7tutorials.com on Monday evenings for one-to-one French and Spanish support for Leaving Cert students and any other language learners needing some extra assistance.

Almost half of sixth year students take grinds

Almost half of sixth year students take grinds, according to a new ESRI study on education in Ireland http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0920/esrileavingcertstudy.pdf
Why do we continue to use the term ‘grinds’ in Ireland? The term is not used anywhere else. Ireland was traditionally an agricultural country and ‘grinding stones’ were used to produce flour by hand. This is probably where the term originates. ‘To grind’ in education generally means to ‘instill or teach by persistent repetition” –not exactly a model of 21st century teaching and learning……
We’ll stick with ‘tutorials’!

Learn English online with native English speakers

24-7tutorials.com has collaborated with TEFL Express to provide a panel of English as a foreign language (EFL) tutors.
Practise speaking and listening to English from the comfort of your own home. One-to-one tutorials in real time enable you to choose your own topic and when you want help.

New Tutors

We are currently processing applications from new tutors and checking credentials, referees etc. In addition, each new tutor has to be assigned their own unique secure online meeting room. Please note this process may take a few days.

Congratulations to the class of 2011

Almost 58,000 students will receive the results of their Leaving Certificate examinations today. UK students will receive A level results tomorrow, 18 August.

The Irish Second Level Students’ Union encouraged students to seek advice from parents and guidance counsellors over the coming days. A spokesperson said: “Leaving Cert results day is different for everyone. There will be people who are dying to find out how they did and people who’d rather hide under the bed. Whatever happens and however you did, it’ll be okay.”

Please take 5 minutes to send your feedback

Exam season is over and most second and third level students are now on holidays. We’re using this lull to step back and review 24-7tutorials.com and see what we can do to improve the service. We have contacted our regular users separately. If you haven’t registered to tutor/taken a tutorial yet, please take 5 minutes and click on the link to tell us why not. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GF5JGDJ

Post Leaving Cert holidays

Now the exams are over, many students will be heading away to the sun for a holiday. The Department of Foreign Affairs offer tips and advice for students to read before travelling to ensure a safe and enjoyable holiday. Bon Voyage!

Leaving Cert Maths paper 2 – help is available online now

Maths tutors are available online www.24-7tutorials.com to help students prepare for Leaving Cert Maths paper 2. Pay just 15 euro for one-to-one online help in real time. Use audio or chat messaging in secure online meeting rooms. There is no video to protect the privacy of students/tutors.

Mixed reactions to Maths paper 1

There will rarely be consensus on Maths papers and today was no exception with mixed reactions from ordinary level students. ‘It was a good paper. The people that wanted to scrape the pass it was there for them’, ‘it was way harder than I thought it would be’, ‘Some little parts in questions got me. But overall I was really happy with how it went’. One ordinary level student remarked:  ‘Be glad we don't do honours, that thread is in meltdown!!’
The thread was in ‘meltdown’ indeed with a more or less unanimous verdict among higher level students online that the paper was very difficult. Comments included ‘the worst paper I have ever seen’, ‘disgusting’, ‘horrible’ ‘and ‘Oh thank god, I'm not the only one who thought it was evil.’ One student asked ‘They will have to mark it easier though? Like they can’t fail the whole country!’ ‘There is always paper 2’ suggested another. …

LC English paper 2 -no shocks or surprises

Many students sitting today’s Leaving Cert English higher paper 2 had already placed their ‘pick 4 poets’ bets  Boards.ie have been running a ‘poetry prediction poll’ over the last few weeks with Eavan Boland the odds on favourite followed by Emily Dickinson. Punters were happy today to see the top two race in along with Yeats and Frost. 'Everything I predicted came up' remarked one student and 27% of students voted for 'best paper ever! everything I studied came up' on another online poll.

Addicted to Facebook/Twitter and need to study?

Many students find it difficult to study online and ignore (more pleasant) distractions such as social media websites. A new programme called Cold Turkey  enables you to block certain websites for a specified time period e.g. 8-24 June……

LC English paper 1 was cat!

No, Leaving Certificate English Paper 1 wasn’t particularly difficult at all but ‘whoever set the paper was obsessed with cats’ according to students chatting online. ‘I never want to read about cats again’ said another. The higher level paper included a comprehension where students were asked about the crazy cat lady.
Lots of students loved the essay on the impact of technology on young people: ‘I did the technology essay –think nearly everybody did’.www.24-7tutorials.com liked it too:-)

Good luck to all exam students

Good luck to all Junior and Leaving Cert students starting exams tomorrow from www.24-7tutorials.com

The day before the Exams

• Think positive –examiners want to give you marks not take them away from you
• Focus on what you already know –now is not the time to look at new topics
• Allow at least an hour to unwind and relax before going to bed
• Get a good night’s sleep –you will often have 6 hours plus of exams the next day and need to be alert in the afternoon too.
• Pack all pens, equipment, calculators or whatever else is needed for each exam
• Allow plenty of time to arrive early and unstressed
• Avoid exam post mortems at lunch hour

Common mistakes made in exams

Not reading the question correctly

Ignoring part of a question

Misunderstanding questions e.g. define/compare/contrast/outline/analyse

Summarising the plot of a text instead of addressing the question
Mismanaging time and not finishing the paper
Ignoring the marking scheme

Repetition
Irrelevant quotations

Read more blog posts on Exam Time Management and Exam Past Papers and Marking Schemes

Last minute Leaving Cert English

Focus on Paper 2. Sketch out rough plans with a brief introduction, 3-5 points and a conclusion for each question. Support each point you make with a quote or reference
Stand alone text
Write short summary notes/plans on main themes, characters and relationships
Comparative texts
Higher level 2011: Theme or Issue/ General Vision and Viewpoint/ Cultural Context
Ordinary level 2011: Relationships / Theme / Social Setting
Do not plan your answer using sub headings with the title of the texts at the top. Use points of comparison/contrast between texts for each paragraph.
Poetry
(Higher level) Sketch out rough plans on main themes and features of style for 4/5 of the poets depending on the time you have available.
(Ordinary level) test yourself on the theme, tone, genre and language used for as many poems as possible

Last minute exam help

www.24-7tutorials.com  is still open and not on school holidays. Some of the tutors are busy with last minute requests for exam help If you’re having difficulty finding a tutor for a particular subject, contact us directly and we’ll try and match you up.

Exam Time Management

Mismanaging your time within an exam can easily cost you a full grade. Attempt all questions. Sketch out an approximate time plan in advance e.g. 3 hour exam and 4 questions: Q1 9.30-10.15 Q2 10.15-11am Q3 11-11.45 am Q4 11.45-12.30
It is much easier to get the first 20% of the marks for any question than the last 5%. If you find yourself stuck for time on question 3, don’t waste anymore time perfecting the answer, move onto question 4. It is better to attempt the final question in points form rather than leave it out altogether. If you have answered only three questions instead of four, the highest mark you can get is 75%.

Use past exam papers

Use past exam papers when you are revising. Don’t wait until the exam itself to familiarise yourself with the general layout of the paper, compulsory questions, options and marks allocated for each section
Check previous questions on a subject topic. Note any trends in the questions asked   Draft short plans for important and recurring questions.
You can also check out the marking schemes for past papers e.g. Higher Level English the percentage of marks awarded for clarity of purpose (30%), coherence of delivery (30%), efficiency of language (30%) and accuracy of mechanics (10%)
Past exam papers and marking schemes are available on www.examinations.ie

Leaving Cert 2011 exam timetable

www.examinations.ie for Leaving Cert and Junior Cert 2011 exam timetables, examination papers and marking schemes

24-7tutorials Sunday Business Post

Student tutorials offer online assistance in real time Read about 24-7tutorials.com in The Sunday Business Post 22 May 2011

Brainfood needed for study and revision

Revising for exams requires long periods of concentration and it’s more important than ever to eat the right food. Research has proven that eating fish improves concentration, memory and problem solving. Oily fish contain Omega 3 and this nourishes the brain cells. Read more about how Omega 3 can improve intelligence

Cramming for exams and crashing

The human memory is not unlike your PC –open too many apps, overload the short-term memory and it will crash. Now is the time for a defrag. Link any new information you are revising with existing information. For example, do not learn 4 new quotes from Hamlet in isolation - instead show how these quotes support and back up your points on Hamlet’s madness.
Save your short-term memory for the night before the exam.

Study and Revision tips for Donegal students

Eileen O’Duffy, the owner of 24-7tutorials.com, will be advising students (and parents) on study and revision. Tune into Highland Radio at 12 noon and ICRfm at 4pm tomorrow Wednesday 18 May.

Dealing with Distractions

Study in the location most likely to offer peace and quiet. Ask for consideration from family members/friends over the final run up to exams. Never have a TV, phone, computer or music on while you are trying to revise for exams. If you are in fact studying online, turn off Facebook/email//chat messaging.  You can catch up and check your messages when you’ve finished your study.

Active Revision Tips

Revision should be active not passive. Always work with a pen/highlighter and paper. Write short summary notes in your own words and add your own examples. This will help you to identify the key points and also to remember them. Draft short paragraph plans for important exam questions. These draft plans should include an introduction, 3-5 key points and a conclusion. 

Revise by topic not time

Don’t plan your revision around time as this is too vague e.g. "I'm going to study English for an hour" or "I'm going to spend all day Saturday studying English"
Instead use your revision checklists to decide what specific topics you will complete for each revision session e.g. “I will make notes on the theme of madness in Hamlet” Take a break when the topic is finished and then move onto a new topic. This will encourage you to study more efficiently and get things done rather than (literally) waste time.

Exam Revision -Eating the Elephant

Eat the elephant –one bite at a time. Now is the time to start breaking up the long task of revising into smaller bits. Each subject can be broken down into sections and topics. Use these lists to make ‘revision checklists’ for each subject. Use past exam papers to prioritise. Tick off topics you know well/have already revised and topics that require extra attention. Now you will be able to watch your progress over the next few weeks.

skoool.ie Exam Centre

Check out the exam centre study notes, model answers and revision checklists for Junior and Leaving Cert students on skoool.ie. And if you have further questions, we’re here to help 24-7..

No Easter Holidays for 24-7tutorials.com

Online tutors are available to help students revise over the Easter holidays. No need to travel and personal one-to-one tuition for your own individual needs.

Maths, Physics, Applied Maths one-to-one help

Tutors are online to help you in real time. Save money on grinds and revision courses and pay just 15 euro to solve your particular problem.

Leaving Cert Orals start today

Last minute help available on www.24-7tutorials.com Talk in real time with native Irish, French, German and Spanish speakers.

Tutorials or grinds?

According to Wikipedia the term ‘grinds’ is only used in Ireland and we’re curious. We don’t like  ‘grinds’, it smacks of Charles Dickens, Hard Times and Gradgrind etc Go to our Facebook Poll and let us know what you think.

Irish, French, Spanish, German orals start Monday 4 April

Our tutors are very busy this week both online and offline helping students prepare for the Leaving Cert oral exams. If the tutor you want is currently offline, please contact us and we’ll try and match you up.

Communicate online in real time

Economists, politicians and university lecturers use Online Meeting Rooms and webinars to communicate. 24-7tutorials.com also use OMR but to protect the privacy of students and tutors, we use audio conferencing and text only.

Some useful tips on Leaving Cert Spanish

Useful tips on Leaving Cert Spanish Don’t forget native Spanish speakers are online on 24-7tutorials.com if you need last minute help with oral prep.

Need regular help with a particular subject?

If you need regular ongoing help with a particular subject, contact us with details of the subject and level and when you are available. We’ll match you up with your own personal online tutor.

Leaving Cert orals start 4 April

Need help with oral exams? Expert tutors including native Irish, French, German, Spanish and Italian speakers are online to help you.

Department of Education Guidelines for Leaving Cert Orals 2011

Junior Cert/Primary school students

We’ve had a number of enquiries from parents of younger children regarding tutorials. Some of our tutors are qualified primary school teachers / special educational needs (SEN) assistants. Parents are welcome to accompany younger children and meet the tutors in our secure online meeting rooms for homework help and advice. 

Additional tutors wanted

Work from home if and when you feel like it. You simply logon when you’re available to offer online help. Tutors are paid €10 for each tutorial, maximum 20 minutes. The tutorials take place in secure online meeting rooms where students can talk directly with the tutor, share notes or use chat messaging. There is no video, to protect the privacy of both students and tutors. Online one-to-one tutorials take place in real time. Register to tutor There is no registration fee

Pay just 15 euro

Save money on grinds and revision courses, just pay as you go, Students need only pay for help if and when they need it and pay as little as €15 to get their problem solved immediately Most homework queries can be answered in a few minutes and the old system of booking grinds for an hour only serves to confuse the student with additional non-relevant material.

24-7tutorials.com open for mid-term

An opportunity for students to catch up with difficult subjects or prepare for mock exams. Tutors are available during the mid-term break

Mock exams

Expert tutors are available in real time to help you with last minute queries. No need to book, just check and see what tutors are online

24-7tutorials on Silicon Republic

Read about 24-7tutorials featured in Silicon Republic

11 reasons to be cheerful about the Irish Economy

Ronan Lyons outlines 11 reasons to be cheerful about the Irish Economy and 24-7tutorials.com is mentioned. Read Ronan Lyons

German/Irish tutors

Additional German and Irish tutors wanted to help with oral exam prep Native speakers welcome Register to tutor

Applied Maths, Biology and German additional tutors wanted

Register to tutor

CAO Applications due 1 Feb

Need help with your CAO application? Career Guidance Councillors are online and ready to help you choose colleges and courses

Easy to use voice, chat messaging in secure online meeting rooms

There are no downloads, no installations. Communicate in real time using voice, chat messaging, noteboard or desktop sharing. These tools enable tutors and students to collaborate together securely in a fully encrypted environment.