Independent Living Communities

Independent living communities are designed for those seniors who are active, healthy and able to live their lives without others' assistance. These communities consist of homes, condominiums, apartments and mobile homes for residents to maintain an independent lifestyle. However, there are some communities that offer only minimal services like building and ground maintenance, plus security. These are no different from residential enclaves, except for the age restriction to those over 55 years of age.

Independent living communities generally provide safety and security, with easy access to a local community of banks, shops, theaters and doctors. There usually are medical services available on an as-needed basis, wherein the resident receives higher Medicare and insurance reimbursement. There is no minimal requirement for meals that are served here; you participate when desired and are billed according to actual participation. The monthly fees usually include utilities, appliance repair and replacement, concierge and 24-hour staff, and range from 0 to ,500 per month. The rates depend on the location of the community. The communities have activity calendars, which range from plentiful to sparse, depending on the age and resources of its residents.

The criterion for enrollment in an independent living community is that the person should be over 55 years of age. The person should be healthy enough so that any medical or personal care provided by visiting nurses or home health aides is sufficient. He or she should also have the capacity to keep in touch with doctors, with the help of family and friends, and not with the assistance from trained staff. Of course, if the resident needs more amenities in the community, he or she should be able to pay for it. So if financial means are limited, he or she will have to accept the limitations and choose a subsidized facility instead.

Independent Living Communities

Independent Living Communities
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Independent Living provides detailed information on Independent Living, Independent Living Communities, Senior Independent Living, Independent Living Aids and more. Independent Living is affiliated with Elder Care Attorneys.

Free Schools for Troubled Teens

Parents are not at all happy to see their children destroying their own lives. Troubled teens often find success through a structured, emotional growth in a school environment. Therefore parents send their children to boarding or military style schools where all the programs are designed to help the troubled teens. But, it can be difficult for the family to have a teen move to a boarding or military school facility. As a result, many parents choose the service of alternative schools, such as free schools for troubled teens.

Free schools for troubled teens are non-hierarchical, non-institutional forms of learning which share skills, information and knowledge on a community basis. A free school for troubled teens has programs specially designed to assist the troubled teens to receive an education. In general, a free school is an attempt of individuals who act collectively and autonomously to generate educational opportunities and skill-sharing within their communities.

These free schools are dedicated to social change through free education and community building. They encourage self-reliance, critical consciousness, and personal development, living connections between themselves and their community. A free school often operates without any business propositions. The schools usually have no single street addresses. The venues of their classes and meetings may be a living room, a park, or any other community space.

Free Schools for Troubled Teens

The schools are able to design programs to help the teens deal with the problems that they face. They deal with teenagers who have social and emotional problems that are reflected in their behavior. Their course programs are also designed to provide physical and spiritual guidance for this group of teens. Most of them are equipped to deal with teens that have ADD or ODD. These schools also operate rehabilitation programs that help the teens to become drug and alcohol free.

All free school teen classes are conducted away from all types annoying things which influence these troubled teens and they learn how to rely on themselves to become self-sufficient. There are many volunteer opportunities available like design work, outreach, fund-raising, special events, or technical support.

Free Schools for Troubled Teens
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Troubled Teens provides detailed information on Troubled Teens, Schools for Troubled Teens, Troubled Teens Programs, Camps for Troubled Teens and more. Troubled Teens is affiliated with Teenage Boot Camps.

Differences Between Nursing Homes, Assisted Living & Continuing Care Retirement Communities

Benjamin Franklin said it best - “nothing in life is certain except death and taxes” but with daily advancements in science, technology and health care, Americans are living longer than ever before*. This blessing however, has created a unique dilemma for modern American families: How to plan for and prepare for one's retirement years.

Have you taken a road-trip lately? Almost every highway is graced with large bill-boards providing the locations of new planned communities where couples can spend their retirement years dedicated to recreational pursuits. I doubt you will find a local newspaper that doesn’t have at least one ad promoting the amenities found at a local assisted living facility. Try to search for “nursing homes in Virginia” on the Internet and thousands of web pages will appear. Each and every day new facilities offering different programs are being built and marketed across the state.

Is such a facility right for you and your family? If so, which facility? We often hear the terms “retirement community,” “nursing home,” and “assisted living facility” but rarely consider what these terms actually mean. The differences however, are striking and it is imperative to understand these differences when making choices for yourself or your loved ones.

Differences Between Nursing Homes, Assisted Living & Continuing Care Retirement Communities

NURSING HOMES

In Virginia, a nursing home means any facility with the primary function of providing long-term nursing care, nursing services and health-related services on a continuing basis, for the treatment and inpatient care of two or more non-related individuals**. Put simply, a nursing home is a facility designed for someone who needs less care than a hospital, but requires daily health care assistance.

The Virginia Department of Health licenses such facilities and has established guidelines regulating various aspects of their operations, programs, and staffing needs, etc***. For example, a nursing home must: (a) have written policies and procedures regarding the treatment of residents and the management of resident care which are available to residents and their families (12VAC5-360-20); (b) provide emergency medical services within 15 minutes, under normal conditions (12VAC5-360-50); (c) be subject to unannounced on-site inspections of the nursing facility by State employees (12VAC5-371-60); (d) have a written agreement with one or more physicians licensed by the Virginia Board of Medicine to serve as medical director (12VAC5-371-230); and (e) each resident shall be under the care of a physician licensed by the Virginia Board of Medicine (12VAC5-371-240).

In addition, residents of nursing homes are also given certain rights as defined by Virginia Code §32.1-138. See http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+32.1-138. Nursing homes are the most regulated and structured residential options for our Seniors requiring some level of daily health care. If the facility provides care through Medicare and Medicaid programs, it is deemed a "Certified nursing facility" (Virginia Code §32.1-123; Virginia Code §32.1-127) and must be in compliance with both federal and state laws.

Of course, the more rules and regulations that define and control the daily operations of a nursing home, the greater the responsibility of the staff. These are the people who will be charged with the daily task of caring for your loved one, and making sure they are in compliance with state and federal laws. No matter how nice and or attractive the facility might be, the staff will make the difference between your loved one being cared for and encouraged, or not.

A nursing home is best suited for someone:

Who requires daily health care – such as assistance getting in and out of bed; taking medicine; or using the restroom. Who may have dementia or Alzheimer’s and as a result, is unable to eat and or bathe daily without reminder or assistance; Who is recovering from a fall or accident and is therefore unable to walk, dress and or eat without assistance
ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY

“Assisted living facility” means an adult care residence which has been licensed by the Virginia Department of Social Services to provide a level of service for adults who may have physical or mental impairments and require at least moderate assistance with the activities of daily living. Within assisted living, there are two types: regular assisted living for those seniors (typically) who need assistance with one or more daily activity; and intensive assisted living for someone who may be incapable of performing activities due to mental and/or severe physical impairment (12VAC30-120-450).

The Virginia Department of Social Services licenses assisted living facilities but does not regulate in the way the Department of Health regulates nursing homes. While there are Virginia guidelines regulating aspects of assisted living facilities, they are limited: An assisted living facility must: (a) provide or coordinate personal and health care services; and (b) provide 24-hour supervision.

As reflected in the table below, assisted living facilities have no obligation to provide health care and/or have health care staff available to assist your loved one. In addition, with no obligation to provide such services, there is the question as to whether or not they owe a duty to warn or treat residents with illnesses or diseases that could be transmitted from other residents.

While a nursing home will have many nurses on staff and doctors hired to monitor the residents, assisted living is more analogous to an apartment building or college dorm where laundry and food services are provided and residents are on their own for the rest of the day.

An assisted living Facility is best suited for someone:

Who is basically independent but may not be able or willing to prepare their own food or drive to doctors’ appointments; Someone who wants to scale back and anticipates needing assistance with laundry, cooking, etc. in the near future. A couple where one spouse is independent but may need assistance in feeding and or providing for needs of other spouse.
CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

In Virginia you may also see advertisements for a retirement community. They are popping up all around our favorite College Towns and Tourist destinations.

A Continuing Care Retirement Community provides care depending on your current needs. Like an insurance policy, the resident pays an entrance fee and periodic adjustable payments, which in turn gives the resident a package of residential and healthcare services that the CCRC is obligated to provide at the time these residential and health care services are required. For example, if upon entering, all you want is help with your meals, that is the only service which will be provided. If you require intensive physical therapy or God forbid, daily assistance for a Dementia patient, the CCRC has assisted living services or nursing home services available under your contract. Continuing care contracts are regulated by the Virginia Bureau of Insurance of the Virginia State Corporation Commission.

Many CCRCs can have nursing home services available either on-site, or at licensed facilities off-site (12VAC5-360-10). While you may be entering the Retirement Community as a very healthy independent and capable resident, as your needs change, so will your contract with the Community and in turn, the facility’s obligations to you.

A Continuing Care Retirement Community Facility is best suited for someone:

Who is basically independent but anticipates the need for daily health care for themselves or a spouse in the near future; Someone who is physically disabled and would be unable to care for themselves or a spouse if the disability grew worse. With at least three very different choices, it is very important to do your research:

To research assisted living facilities in Virginia, go to Department of Social Services website: http://www.dss.state.va.us/facility/search/alf.cgi.

To research nursing homes, go to Medicare’s website: http://www.medicare.gov

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST

It is always best to speak to a family member of a current resident and spend time getting to know the staff, no matter what type of facility you are looking into. If looking and researching is not enough, then consider the chart below – a comparison of the legal duties of a nursing home compared to the legal duties of an assisted living facility in Virginia.

DUTY or REQUIREMENT

NURSING HOME

ASSISTED LIVING

Duty to provide nursing care and or monitor resident’s health?

YES

NO

Doctor required to supervise residents?

YES

NO

Each resident shall be under the care of a physician licensed by the Virginia Board of Medicine?

YES

NO

Must have nurses on staff?

YES

NO

Must offer rehabilitative services?

YES

NO

Must have ongoing consultation from a registered dietitian or dietitian on staff?

YES

NO

24 Hour Supervision required?

YES

YES

Must develop a written plan upon admission of resident?

YES

YES

Staff must undergo criminal background check?

YES

YES

Monitored by Virginia Center for Quality Health Care Services and Consumer Protection

YES

NO

Monitored by Department of Social Services

NO

YES

*Life expectancy increased dramatically during the past century, from 47 years for Americans born in 1900 to 77 years for those born in 2001. These same factors—improved medical care and prevention efforts— that are partly responsible for the dramatic increases in life expectancy have also produced a major shift in the leading causes of death in the United States in the past century, from infectious diseases and acute illnesses to chronic diseases and degenerative illnesses.” The State of Aging and Health in America 2004, published by the Center for Disease Control, available at http://www.cdc.gov/aging/pdf/State_of_Aging_and_Health_in_America_2004.pdf.

**See generally, Virginia Code §32.1-123, as amended and Virginia Administrative Code § 12VAC5-360-10.

***It is a Felony under Virginia law to operate a nursing facility without a license. See generally, 12VAC5-371-30.

Differences Between Nursing Homes, Assisted Living & Continuing Care Retirement Communities
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Lauren Ellerman is an attorney with Frith Law Firm in Roanoke, Virginia. She concentrates her practice on medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, nursing home neglect, lead paint poisoning, and business torts. You may view her complete profile at [http://www.frithlawfirm.com/lauren.htm] and the firm’s home page at http://www.frithlawfirm.com

Social Networking, The Pros and Cons of Social Networks

Social Networking has become increasingly popular nowadays as there are a lot of sites that offer this service. MySpace and Friendster are two of the most popular sites that aim to build communities of people who share common interests and activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others.

THE PROS

A social networking site is like a virtual meeting place where people can hang out and discuss different topics. Anything under the sun, in fact. Some use these networking sites to promote their blogs, to post bulletins and updates or to use them as a bridge to a future love interest.

Social Networking, The Pros and Cons of Social Networks

These are just a few of the reasons why social networking is getting a lot of attention lately -- it makes life more exciting for many people.

THE CONS

However, it would be best to make sure that safety and security are the topmost concerns of the social networking site that you currently use. This is because social networking sites require or give you the option to provide personal information such as your name, location, and email address. Unfortunately some people can take this as an opportunity for identity theft. They can copy your information and pretend to be "you" when engaging in illegal activities. Bad news! So be cautious with what you enter into an online networking site.

You could fall into the trap of someone who pretends to be somebody else. For example, they might offer you a job or want to meet up with you just to get your money. This can lead to cyberstalking, where the stalker uses electronic media such as the Internet to pursue or harass you.

THE CONCLUSION

So take your time and be careful in choosing who to trust so you can hopefully avoid this sort of unpleasant thing happening to you. Apart from that, social networking is great thing.

Social Networking, The Pros and Cons of Social Networks
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Article by Gary Harvey of http://FindHotMarkets.com the Internet's BIGGEST LIST of ways to find hot niches, best selling products and hot markets.

What Makes A Good Friend?

Good friendship counts!

Being a good friend is not just about having a good time with others, it's also about how willing you are to put your friends first or point out when they're doing something you don't agree with. Have a read through the following checklist and see how good a friend you really are.

Are you a good listener?

What Makes A Good Friend?

Part of being a good friend is about being willing to listen rather than just talk. This takes time and effort but if you can make time just to listen to others and respect what they have to say, then it's a sign of a good friend.

Are you approachable?

Do your friends often turn to you first to share a problem or seek help? Are you willing to make yourself available to friends at short notice and welcome them if they turn up at your door?

Are you trustworthy?

If a friend tells you something personal are you good at keeping it in confidence, or do you go and tell everyone at the first opportunity? People need to know that they can trust a friends with important information and you will only store up trouble for yourself if you are seen as unreliable. A good friend is both trustworthy and reliable.

Do you avoid gossiping about others?

This is one of the biggest signs of a good friend and really does stand out. Do you avoid speaking badly about others or spreading rumors in order to hurt them? Do you defend friends when you hear others gossiping about them? If you avoid gossiping others will notice how different you are and soon realize what a truly good friend you are.

Are you selfless rather than selfish?

Do you put your friends needs above your own? Do you try to find a compromise if you can't agree with a friend? Are you willing to do something your friend wants to do for a change rather than forcing them to do what you want? If you are willing to put your friends first in most things then this is a sign of a good friend.

Can you sensitively tell a friend what you really think?

Good friends don't just go with the flow, sometimes they have to be honest and tell someone what they really think. Sometimes your friends might want to do something that is morally wrong or illegal or just plain unfair on another person. Are you able to tell your friend honestly what you think about it, without just going along with it? The sign of a good friendship is when you can be totally honest with the other person, without them being offended because they know you have their best interests at heart.

What Makes A Good Friend?
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This was written by J Dawkins who created Friends and Money in March 2007. His site is dedicated to providing reviews of paid survey, social networking, and cash back shopping communities.

His aim is encourage visitors to Make Friends, Earn Money online.

Homes for Sale By Owner Land Contract Michigan

The homes for sale by owner land contract Michigan residents are able to provide to interested parties a home at an affordable price. A land contract in Michigan is often beneficial for both parties, when conducted in the correct manner.

There are a number of instances in which reputable and reliable individuals in Michigan will find themselves in financial trouble and facing a possible foreclosure on their home or land. Instead of succumbing to this problem, it is important that these individuals realize that hope does not need to be lost in these unfortunate situations.

Even in these troubling times, there are alternatives available to these people aside from the foreclosure on their property. A land contract in Michigan can be just the thing to help these people, or anyone that is looking to sell their property quickly and without involving a mortgage company.

Homes for Sale By Owner Land Contract Michigan

As a contract between the owner of the property in the state of Michigan and the buyer or purchaser of the aforementioned property, a land contract in Michigan allows the transaction to take place for a pre-determined and specified monetary amount, in exchange for the rights to the land or home. The purchaser agrees to make the decided upon payments for the property over time to the seller, who is required to hand over the physical manifestation of the deed to the property owner or purchaser when the entirety of the land contract has been paid in full.

The laws surrounding the homes for sale by owner land contract Michigan residents must adhere to are outlined in a very clear way in these instances. Possession and living rights, for all intents and purposes, are immediately available to the purchasers of the many available homes for sale by owner land contract Michigan residents have to offer. In the end, it is the title that is not turned over to the purchasers until the payments have all been made. This is what allows the sellers to maintain some collateral when they are in the process of selling their properties. Homes for sale by owner land contract Michigan laws are able to protect sellers in this way.

However, land contracts are also beneficial for interested buyers as well. For example, buyers who want to own a home but have poor or damaged credit can often work with sellers on terms. Investors, like us here, can also help educate buyers on ways to repair their credit and get them the financing they need.

Sometimes bad things happen to good people and someone who can make monthly payments and has some money to put down on a home should be able to buy one, even if the bank isn't willing to give out a loan.

he sale of the home in this specific type of contractual agreement , therefore, is able to help all involved parties. Despite the many benefits, there are a number of states that have, over the years, presented a number of problems when it comes to making the ownership of a property easy in the form of a land contract.

Homes for Sale By Owner Land Contract Michigan

However, a land contract in Michigan is a valid form of property transaction. Homes for sale by owner via land contract in Michigan bring supply to the market as options for potential buyers who would otherwise not be able to buy a home.

As long as the seller is motivated and willing to work on terms and the buyer has stable income to make monthly payments and has a bit of money for a downpayment, a win/win situation can often be structured.

Homes for Sale By Owner Land Contract Michigan
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Dan Ho is a real estate investor in Michigan. Visit Homes for sale by owner land contract Michigan [http://www.buy-sell-michigan-real-estate.com/land-contract-houses-in-Michigan.html] for more information on buying and selling on land contract and if you need investor assistance.

Which is the Easiest Language to Learn? Rating the 14 Most Popular Course Offerings

Which is the best language to learn? Which is the easiest?

Two different questions, often uttered in the same breath. But that's okay, because there will be only one answer. Whichever language you wholeheartedly choose to study will be both the best and the easiest. However, here's some help choosing.

The choices.

Which is the Easiest Language to Learn? Rating the 14 Most Popular Course Offerings

Here is the Modern Language Association's 2002 list of the most commonly studied languages at university level in the United States. I have not included ancient languages like Latin, Biblical Hebrew, or Sanskrit, special purposes languages like American Sign Language, or U.S. heritage languages, like Hawaiian or Navajo since the choice of those languages follows a different dynamic:

1. Spanish
2. French
3. German
4. Italian
5. Japanese
6. Chinese
7. Russian
8. Arabic
9. Modern Hebrew
10. Portuguese
11. Korean
12. Vietnamese
13. Hindi/Urdu
14. Swahili

Difficulty, according to Uncle Sam

First, consider some cold facts. The U.S. State Department groups languages for the diplomatic service according to learning difficulty:

Category 1. The "easiest" languages for speakers of English, requiring 600 hours of classwork for minimal proficiency: the Latin and Germanic languages. However, German itself requires a bit more time, 750 hours, because of its complex grammar.

Category 2. Medium, requiring 1100 hours of classwork: Slavic languages, Turkic languages, other Indo-Europeans such as Persian and Hindi, and some non-Indo-Europeans such as Georgian, Hebrew and many African languages. Swahili is ranked easier than the rest, at 900 hours.

Category 3. Difficult, requiring 2200 hours of study: Arabic, Japanese, Korean and the Chinese languages.

Will you get a chance to practice this language?

Now, consider another important factor: accessibility. To be a successful learner you need the chance to hear, read and speak the language in a natural environment. Language learning takes an enormous amount of concentration and repetition, which cannot be done entirely in the classroom. Will you have access to the language where you live, work and travel?

The 14 most popular courses according to a combination of linguistic ease and accessibility.

1. Spanish. Category One. The straightforward grammar is familiar and regular. It is also ubiquitous in the Americas, the only foreign language with a major presence in the insular linguistic environment of the U.S. Chances to speak and hear it abound. It is the overwhelming favorite, accounting for more than fifty percent of language study enrollment in the MLA study.

2. French. Category One. Grammatically complex but not difficult to learn because so many of it's words have entered English. For this vocabulary affinity, it is easy to attain an advanced level, especially in reading. It is a world language, and a motivated learner will find this language on the internet, in films and music.

3. German. Category One Plus. The syntax and grammar rules are complex with noun declensions a major problem. It is the easiest language to begin speaking, with a basic vocabulary akin to English. Abstract, advanced language differs markedly, though, where English opts for Latin terms. It values clear enunciation, so listening comprehension is not difficult.

4. Italian. Category One. It has the same simple grammar rules as Spanish, a familiar vocabulary and the clearest enunciation among Latin languages (along with Romanian). Italian skills are easily transferable to French or Spanish. You might need to go to Italy to practice it, but there are worse things that could happen to you. It is also encountered in the world of opera and classical music.

5. Russian. Category Two. This highly inflected language, with declensions, is fairly difficult to learn. The Cyrillic alphabet is not particularly difficult, however, and once you can read the language, the numerous borrowings from French and other western languages are a pleasant surprise. It is increasingly accessible.

6. Arabic. Category Three. Arabic is spoken in dozens of countries, but the many national dialects can be mutually incomprehensible. It has only three vowels, but includes some consonants that don't exist in English. The alphabet is a formidable obstacle, and good calligraphy is highly valued and difficult to perfect. Vowels are not normally written (except in children's books) and this can be an obstacle for reading. It is ubiquitous in the Muslim world and opportunities exist to practice it at every level of formality.

7. Portuguese. Category One. One of the most widely spoken languages in the world is often overlooked. It has a familiar Latin grammar and vocabulary, though the phonetics may take some getting used to.

8. Swahili. Category Two Minus. It includes many borrowings from Arabic, Persian, English and French. It is a Bantu language of Central Africa, but has lost the difficult Bantu "tones". The sound system is familiar, and it is written using the Latin alphabet. One major grammatical consideration is the division of nouns into sixteen classes, each with a different prefix. However, the classes are not arbitrary, and are predictable.

9. Hindi/Urdu. Category Two. The Hindustani language, an Indo-European language, includes both Hindi and Urdu. It has an enormous number of consonants and vowels, making distinctions between phonemes that an English speaker will have difficulty hearing. Words often have clipped endings, further complicating comprehension. Hindi uses many Sanskrit loans and Urdu uses many Persian/Arabic loans, meaning that a large vocabulary must be mastered. Hindi uses the phonetically precise Devanagari script, created specifically for the language. Predictably, Urdu's use of a borrowed Persian/Arabic script leads to some approximation in the writing system.

10. Modern Hebrew. Category Two. Revived as a living language during the nineteenth century, it has taken on characteristics of many languages of the Jewish diaspora. The resultant language has become regularized in grammar and syntax, and the vocabulary has absorbed many loan words, especially from Yiddish, English and Arabic. The alphabet has both print and script forms, with five vowels, not normally marked. Vowel marking, or pointing, is quite complex when it does occur. Sounds can be difficult to reproduce in their subtleties and a certain amount of liaison makes listening comprehension problematic. It is not very accessible outside of a religious or Israeli context.

11. Japanese. Category Three. Difficult to learn, as the vocabulary is unfamiliar, and the requirements of the sound system so strict that even the many words that have been borrowed from English, French and German will seem unrecognizable. With three different writing systems, it is forbiddingly difficult to read and write. Also, social constraints may impede useful interaction.

12. Chinese. Category Three. Whether your choice is Mandarin or Cantonese (the MLA survey does not make a distinction, oddly enough). It is the most difficult language on this list. It includes all of the most difficult aspects: unfamiliar phonemes, a large number of tones, an extremely complex writing system, and an equally unfamiliar vocabulary. Personal motivation is absolutely essential to keep the student on track. On the positive side, it is easy to find, since Chinese communities exist throughout the world, and Chinese language media, such as newspapers, films and TV, are present in all these communities.

13. Vietnamese. Category Three. This language belongs to an unfamiliar family of languages, but it does borrow much vocabulary from Chinese (helpful if you already speak Chinese!). It has six tones, and a grammar with an unfamiliar logic. It's not all bleak, however, Vietnamese uses a Latin derived alphabet. The chances of speaking this language are not high, though there are 3 million speakers in the USA.

14. Korean. Category Three. Korean uses an alphabet of 24 symbols, which accurately represent 14 consonants and 10 vowels. However, the language also includes 2000 commonly used Chinese characters for literary writing and formal documents. Speech levels and honorifics complicate the learning of vocabulary, and there is liaison between words, making them hard to distinguish. The grammar is not overly complicated and there are no tones. It borrows many Chinese words, but the language is unrelated to other languages of Asia.

The most important factor of all: personal motivation

The third, most important factor is up to you. The easiest language to learn is the one that you are most motivated to learn, the one you enjoy speaking, the one with the culture that inspires you and the history that touches you spiritually. It is useless to try to learn a language if you are not interested in the people who speak it, since learning a language involves participating in its behaviors and identifying with its people.

So, consider all three factors: motivation, accessibility and linguistic ease, in that order, and come up with the final list yourself. The bad news is that no language is really easy to learn, but the good news is that we humans are hard wired for a great amount of linguistic flexibility, as long as we know how to turn on the learning process. If the rewards and benefits of the language are clear to you, you will be able to get those rusty language synapses sparking in your head and start the words rolling. Bonne chance!

Which is the Easiest Language to Learn? Rating the 14 Most Popular Course Offerings
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Dominic Ambrose has taught languages for over twenty years, from Middle School to Community College, from adult ed to ESL to TOEFL training. He has also traveled as a teacher educator to many Eastern European countries as well as South America, including three years with the Romanian Ministry of Education. Presently, he lives in Paris writing full time, mostly about film and fiction, but he is still fascinated by languages. To see his blog, click on the link: http://dominicambrose.wordpress.com

Reading Strategies Good Readers Use

A few years ago, educational researchers David Pearson and Nell Duke asked the question, "What kind of thinking happens when proficient readers read?" This question led to ground breaking research results that have changed the way teachers teach children to read.

They discovered seven key strategies that good readers use during the reading process. Innovative teachers teach the strategies directly using metacognitive thinking (thinking out loud about your thinking) by modeling their own thinking out loud during the reading process. Students apply the new strategies by practicing their own thinking orally and in writing. Books like Mosaic of Thought by Zimmerman and Keene, Strategies that Work by Harvey and Goudvis, and Reading with Meaning by Miller explore these ideas in great depth and apply best teaching practices to teaching reading strategies.

Strategy One: Making Connections

Reading Strategies Good Readers Use

Readers bring their own experiences and background knowledge to the text. They make personal connections, they connect one text with another, and make connections with the world. These connections enrich the text and helps the reader to understand the text at a higher level of meaning. Teachers teach these connections directly: text to self connections, text to text connections, and text to world connections.

Strategy Two: Visualizing or Envisioning

Readers see pictures in their minds when they read. The best part of reading is watching the "movie in your head." Good readers experience seeing strong visual images. Children can be taught to visualize as they read. Often poor readers do not "see" when they read. We live in a visual world, yet it's the visuals that many readers lack when they read.

Strategy Three: Questioning

Readers are constantly questioning, predicting, confirming their thinking, and adjusting their thinking. Good readers have a purpose for continuing to read. The purpose lies within their ability to question and predict throughout the reading of the text. The adjustments made helps readers to understand the text at a deeper level. Their basic and deeper comprehension soars when their minds are constantly making meaning through questioning.

Strategy Four: Inferring

Good readers read between the lines. The answers are not always black and white, and good readers are able to infer meaning based on background knowledge and text clues. When a reader is inferring they are thinking, predicting, adjusting, and confirming. This leads to deeper understanding of the text.

Strategy Five: Determining Importance

Good readers understand the main ideas of a text and can determine what is important. Readers are answering questions, determining key points, and stretching their thinking as they connect the important ideas with their own knowledge.

Strategy Six: Synthesizing

Good readers are able to synthesize their reading and produce their own ideas or products from their knowledge. Synthesizing is a higher order thinking skill that requires you to reach beyond basic knowledge and create new thinking.

Strategy Seven: Fix-Up Strategies

Good readers know how to tackle difficult text. If they run across a word they don't know they chunk the word and use context clues to determine the meaning. If the just finished a paragraph and don't have a clue as to what they just read, they reread the paragraph and focus on thinking about its' meaning. They identify what they don't understand and read back or ahead to try and clarify meaning. They look at pictures or other text features (like graphs or sidebars) to help them understand the concepts or ideas. Fix-up strategies can be directly taught to help students break down a piece of text and find its' meaning.

These strategies are often taught separately, but they must be integrated and automated in the reader's mind. Once students are aware of these strategies and learn to apply them during their own reading process they begin to become an automatic part of their thinking. The strategies help readers to understand text and gain meaning by applying their own background knowledge or schema, as well as understanding the author's message.

Reading Strategies Good Readers Use
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Lisa Frase is a National Board Certified Teacher in Literacy. During her 14 year tenure she has earned a Masters in Reading, presented at state and national conferences, and earned the 2006 Texas Council for the Teachers of English Language Arts Elementary Teacher of the Year Award. She continues to teach, write, and maintain a website for teachers packed with free resources at http://www.effectiveteachingsolutions.com.

You can find her publications at http://www.etspress.com.

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The Best Retirement Communities

The best retirement communities are not hard to find if you know where to look. One of the reasons Arizona and Florida are great states to retire in is because they offer some of the best retirement communities in the country. There are a variety of active adult communities out there, but I tried to focus on the ones that offered both independent living and assisted living. And remember, these are not simply places to live; they are places to have fun! Your celebration of retirement shouldn't end with your retirement speech. It should continue everyday throughout your retirement.

Best Retirement Communities in Arizona

Green Valley is considered one of the largest retirement communities in the world. In actuality it is a collection of more than 50 individual communities. Green Valley has surprisingly low housing costs for Arizona, and it offers a moderate climate most of the year. Two of its best senior communities are Silver Springs and La Posada.

The Best Retirement Communities

Silver Springs offers options for both independent living and assisted living. It's a great place to live if you are looking to stay active and meet new people. The community includes a swimming pool, fitness center, card room, hair salon, computer lounge, and a variety of other amenities. Even if you don't need assisted living now, the services will be available to you later. This provides you with the security of knowing that you won't have to move again.

La Posada is a nonprofit assisted living community. Unlike some senior communities, you pay fees to live here but you don't own your living space. The benefit is that you don't have to worry about any of the upkeep anymore. The landscaping, house cleaning, and meals are all covered. You can just worry about enjoying your retirement at the hiking trails, in the swimming pool, or on the nearby golf courses. La Posada also offers both independent living and assisted living options.

Best Retirement Communities in Florida

Classic Residence by Hyatt in Boca Raton is no doubt in one of the best locations for any community. The amazing weather and gorgeous beaches from this part of Florida are difficult to beat. Like all of the other retirement communities on this list, Classic Residence offers both independent living and assisted living. The amenities are too long to list, but if you can imagine a five-star resort then you'll have a good idea what this retirement community is like. The regional and ethnic cuisine is reportedly very good too.

Shell Point Retirement Community in Fort Myers is my favorite among all of the retirement communities I've researched. When it comes to amenities and pricing it is on par with the other top choices. It really does feel like you are living at an upscale resort. You'll have plenty of opportunities to meet people, stay active, and eat great food. So what differentiates Shell Point from the other communities? One of their contract options includes both assisted living and long-term care. What this means is that you will never have to move again. As you transition from independent living to assisted living and then possibly to skilled nursing, you can continue to live at Shell Point. More importantly you won't have to worry about the exorbitant prices of nursing care. Your normal monthly fees will cover it. The only downside is that you do not own your home and the entrance fee is non-refundable. There is an option that allows the entrance fee to be refunded upon contract cancellation or death, but that option does not include assisted living or skilled nursing care.

These are only a few of the many wonderful retirement communities available out there. There are so many factors to take into account that one list would never satisfy everyone. Personally, I like warm weather and an active lifestyle. I also like the security of knowing I will be able to stay where I am and receive the proper care that I may one day require. Your priorities may be different, but I hope this list of excellent retirement communities can at least guide you in the right direction.

The Best Retirement Communities
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B. Ferguson invites you to visit Retirement Wishes for tips and advice about retirement. If you enjoyed this article, then you may also like Best Retirement States.

Mclean Virginia Real Estate - The Apartment & Condo Communities of Tysons Corner

Below are housing options every current and new resident to Tysons Corner should consider.

Tysons Corner VA Condo Communities The Fountains at Mclean - Built in 1988 this luxury condo community in Tysons Corner is located within walking distance to the Tysons Corner Mall, Freddie Mac and the Tysons Westpark Transit station. Busses from this station leave frequently for Weshington DC, the West Falls Church metro, Arlington and Reston Town Center. The Fountains (FAM) has a long standing reputation as one of the best investments in Tysons Corner. The community is know for it's stepped, three level fountains located on the grounds and major common areas. Spacious one and two bedroom units with underground parking, on-site fitness facility, pool, tennis courts and clubhouse make FAM one of the most desirable communities in Tysons. The Fountains at Mclean offers condos for sale starting at approximately 0,000.

The Gates of Mclean - This community is located close to the intersection of 123 and 495 (the beltway). It boasts accessibility to the major thoroughfares of Tysons Corner. The community spent a short stint as apartments and then went to condo ownership a few years after. Well known for its clubhouse with 30 foot ceilings and a state of the art theatre, exercise facility, and pool...the Gates of Mclean caters to the discerning residents of Tysons. The community has one, two, and three bedroom condos of varying sizes from 600 sq ft to over 2,000 sq ft. The condo fees range from 0 monthly to approximately 0 and are considered highly competitive for Tysons Corner.

Mclean Virginia Real Estate - The Apartment & Condo Communities of Tysons Corner

Lillian Court at Tysons Corner - This closest of condo communities to the Tysons Corner mall is located on the corner International Drive and Tysons Boulevard. Lillian Court offers one, two, and three bedroom condos as well as townhouse style living. Condo fees are low and as one of the more prestigious communities in Tysons many owners have upgraded their units with hardwood flooring and stainless steel appliances. The community offers underground parking for many of the units. Higher level condos at Lillian Court have some of the most coveted views in all of Tysons.

The Rotonda - As the largest condo community in Tysons Corner, The Rotonda boasts 37 acres of walking trails, an underground bowling alley, a salon, indoor pool, onsite community store. The Rotonda is a favorite among senior residents who want to be close to the action. Condo fees are high...but well warranted due to the plethora of community amenities. Apartment rentals as opposed to condo purchases are most popular at The Rotonda because this way the owner pays for those high condo fees and the tenant gets to enjoy those amenities free of charge.

The Encore of Mclean - As the one of the largest and oldest condo communities in Tysons Corner this community boasts a fleet of amenities. Secure, gated, with 24 hour concierge, The Encore has built a reputation in Tysons Corner since the 1970s. Its sister complex, The Regency at Mclean offers the same amenities and is located directly in front of the Encore. Together the Encore and Regency boast over 400 units.

Mclean VA Apartment Communities

Post Tysons Corner - This apartment community is the sister complex to the Fountains at Mclean, however, Post Tysons Corner consists solely of rentals. Located side by side next to the Tysons Corner Mall the Post Tysons Corner complex enjoys the same amenities as the Fountains at Mclean: the clubhouse, pool, tennis courts and fitness facility. Rents at Post Tysons Corner tend to be higher than those from individual owners at the Fountains at Mclean because of high overheads. Typically the rents at Post Tysons Corner are twenty percent higher than comparable condos in the Tysons Corner area.

Avalon Crescent - This higher end community in Tysons is located in between Lillian Court and the Fountains at Mclean. Similarly to Post Tysons Corner, the condos here have much higher rents when compared to the most communities in Tysons. Amenities are plenty and the management is great, however, all of that comes at a much higher price tag.

For more information and current for sale and rental listings for the above communities please visit: http://tysons-corner-va.nvacondos.com/

Mclean Virginia Real Estate - The Apartment & Condo Communities of Tysons Corner
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Amrish Pinto, founding partner of NVAcondos Realty, works as a Northern Virginia Realtor and focuses on Tysons Corner VA real estate. Amrish has over 10 years of experience in real estate sales, agency / brokerage, development, investing, and marketing. His primary focus is on identifying profitable investments within the condo and townhouse communities of Tysons Corner, Mclean, Vienna, Falls Church, Dunn Loring, Reston & Herndon, VA.