Lesson Plans

Design your homeschooling curriculum around these lesson plans that are specified by grade, subject and age.

1. Scholastic. Choose from a variety of fun and instructive lesson plans that you can search by grade or subject.
2. The Lesson Plans Page. More than 3,500 free lesson plans are available for educators, including math worksheets and science experiments.
3. OFCN’s Academy Curriculum Exchange. This site offers lesson plans for kindergarten through twelfth grade students.
4. BrainPOP. From singing to scientists, all lessons are animated with cartoons and interactive videos.
5. LessonPlanZ.com. New lesson plans are added weekly for all grades and subjects.
6. Teachers.net. Get thousands of teacher-approved lesson plans for every grade level.
7. The Educator’s Reference Desk. Find lesson plans that meet your specific search criteria.
8. Let’s Homeschool. This site offers homeschool curriculums, resources and specific subject assignments that cater to homeschooler’s needs.
9. teAchnology. Browse through more than 30,000 lesson plans and tips submitted by teachers.
10. Education World. Shake things up with these creative lesson plans, such as 5-minute fillers, holiday lessons and news for kids.

Educational Resources

From online tutorials to electronic textbooks, these educational resources are easy to use and super convenient for homeschool students and teachers.

11. Educator. From calculus to biology and everything in between, Educator provides video tutorials that cover numerous subjects.
12. Free Home Education. Browse through the extensive list of free homeschool resources available on the Web.
13. PinkMonkey.com. From state testing resources, online textbooks for numerous subjects to SAT prep tests, PinkMonkey has you covered with more than 450 free study resources.
14. Algebra.com. Get free homework help and utilize online tutors to assist with pre-algebra, algebra I, algebra II and geometry lessons.
15. iKnowthat.com. Designed for younger students, this interactive site provides a variety of tutorials and lessons that encourage more active learning and less memorizing.
16. Federal Resources for Educational Excellence. Get federal-supported resources on a range of topics, including arts, music, U.S. history and science.
17. Project Gutenberg. Recognized as "the first producer of free electronic books," Gutenberg has nearly 30,000 free ebooks to choose from.
18. Ambleside Online. This site follows the curriculum of Charlotte Mason’s, which is focused on "high literary standards" and free texts.
19. Math/Science Nucleus. Get an online science curriculum for elementary students on this non-profit educational site, founded by scientists, educators and community members.
20. K-12 Free Homeschool. This kindergarten through twelfth grade schooling program also provides free homeschool resources, such as ebooks, a calendar with daily assignments and a public forum for parents to communicate.

Educational Software

Whether your homeschooler is learning a new language or needs help with math, educational software programs add variety to your lessons and can serve as a second teacher.

21. The Homeschool Place. Choose from a variety of software programs for virtually every school subject.
22. Rosetta Stone. The popular language-learning software enhances a foreign language curriculum with interactive tools and progress reports specially designed for homeschool use.
23. Edu-Track Home School. Use this handy software to keep track of lesson plans, report cards, transcripts and more.
24. Homeschool Tracker. Stay organized with this multi-use tracker that will make your homeschooling experience more efficient.
25. ClickN Read. Listed as the "world’s most advanced phonics, reading and spelling programs," this software is guaranteed to teach your child to read or spell or you’ll get your money back.
26. Smart Tutor. This program is designed to enhance math and reading skills for elementary-aged children.
27. Free Homeschool Software. For a $7.50 shipping and handling rate, you can get free software programs like 2009 World Book Encyclopedia or the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
28. Alpha Omega. Get Christian homeschooling materials for all grades.
29. Professor Toto. François Thibaut’s programs are noted as the "number one technique" to teach children foreign languages before they speak.
30. Algebrator. This software will help you solve everything from pre-algebra to college algebra questions on screen.

Homeschool Supplies

Get used, new or hard-to-find homeschool supplies, teaching materials and classroom items on these discounted shopping and auction sites.

31. DHSS. Shop this site’s discounted curriculum materials and school supplies.
32. SmileMakers. SmileMakers, a division of Staples, has everything you need for your homeschool classroom: stickers, toys and teaching materials.
33. Discount School Supply. From costumes, furniture to arts and crafts supplies, this online store has your homeschool needs covered.
34. Timberdoodle Co. Shop discounted school supplies for grades Kindergarten through twelfth.
35. HomeschoolingSupply. Find educational resources and specific supplies to fit your everyday homeschool needs without paying any sales tax.
36. K-12 School Supplies. Shop teacher-created resources, Christian inspirational items and special needs lessons.
37. Bibliofind. Linked with Amazon.com, this site searches and provides millions of rare, pre-owned and out-of-print books for purchase.
38. Homeschool Bid. Use this homeschooler’s auction site to sell your old supplies, texts or furniture for brand new or used ones.
39. Rainbow Resource Center. Shop more than 40,000 quality educational products for all grades, subjects and ages at discounted prices.
40. The Dow’s Schoolroom. Get homeschool supplies, Bible class resources and educational toys on this school shopping site.

Organization

Organization is a-must for homeschoolers who want to keep the house separate from the school. Use these tips to organize, de-clutter and create a balanced environment in your own homeschool.

41. The Home School Mom. Get the latest planners and tools to help you stay organized and keep track of your child’s assignments, as well as tips on how to keep your house clean and encourage your kids to pitch in.
42. Handipoints. Use these printable worksheets to keep tabs on your child’s math skills, chore duties and study habits, and it’s also a good incentive for rewarding progress.
43. Donna Young. From note-taking forms, lesson plan forms to custom calendars, this site has you covered for organizing paperwork and creating forms.
44. Organized Home. This site is filled with motivational articles and organizing tips to help you cut the clutter and make room for your homeschooler.
45. Homeschool-By-Design. Get information on how to maintain a clean, organized home and keep track of important documents, such as lesson plans and law-required records.
46. Organizing Your Way. Learn how to achieve a balanced homeschooling atmosphere with these organization and time management tips.
47. Homeschool Curriculum for Life. This homeschooler shares her cleaning and organization tips that are simple and doable in a day’s work.
48. I’m an Organizing Junkie. From the school space, the kitchen to your kids’ toys, this organizer gives detailed and practical tips on keeping your house free of clutter.
49. Homeschool Theater. From designating a work space to storing school supplies, this site will help you run your homeschool more efficiently.
50. Ecletic Homeschool. Plan field trips, organize your calendar and get practice worksheets on this handy site that will save you time and money.

Discipline

Being the parent and the teacher may require extra discipline for your child and you. Find ways to handle classroom and behavior problems while maintaining a productive learning atmosphere.

51. Homeschool Curriculum and Support. Learn how to draw the line between home and school life and creating boundaries from parent to teacher with these helpful tips and exercises.
52. Homeschool Classroom Discipline. This site provides practical ideas and plans for parents to enforce discipline and make their classroom run more efficiently.
53. Lifestyle Homeschool. This homeschooler of four children shares her tips on obedience, classroom discipline and other intrapersonal skills.
54. Homeschool Discipline. Find helpful articles on how to handle stubbornness, how to establish homeschool rules and how to solve discipline problems while initiating learning.
55. EduGuide. See how discipline is enforced in public schools and how you can use the same tactics for homeschooling.
56. Back to School. Get tips on disciplining at home, as well as maintaining control as the teacher and parent during homeschool.
57. Homeschooling Fun. This mother of six shares her views and advice on disciplining children in homeschool.
58. Christian-Parent.com. This site focuses on Christian family values and gives advice on how to discipline young children and teenagers.
59. Homeschool Magazine. Read articles on disciplining kids and how you, the parent and teacher, can practice self-discipline at home.
60. Love to Learn. Get information and tips on discipline and other behavioral problems.

Homeschooler Blogs

These homeschooling moms and dads offer advice, resources and tips on teaching kids from home, as well as share their own personal experiences, beliefs and gripes.

61. Relaxed Homeschooler. Read what this mother of seven has to say about homeschooling and how she teaches in a relaxed atmosphere.
62. Notes From a Homeschooling Mom. This mother posts news articles about education and shares her thoughts on homeschooling and parenting.
63. Chez Smiffy. Get tips on how to write your own homeschool curriculum and here why this mom doesn’t segregate one room for teaching.
64. Guilt-Free Homeschooling. This 11-year veteran of homeschooling shares her experiences and offers general advice and encouragement to other homeschoolers.
65. Principled Discovery. Read intriguing articles about the challenges and rewards of homeschooling from this mother and teacher.
66. Higher Up and Further In. This homeschooler shares important lessons such as how to teach children to read, how to teach spelling and when to start practicing poetry.
67. Little Blue School. This mom takes a different approach to homeschool blogging with a range of posts like how to teach a child to write a novel and her views on HSLDA.
68. Eclectic Education. Get up-to-date advice on books, lessons and other resources from this homeschooling mother of two.
69. PHAT Mommy.This tech-savvy mother communicates about homeschooling and motherhood with her blog, Twitter, Facebook and others.
70. Why Homeschool. This blog explores homeschooling topics concerning education and family issues, as well as offer first-hand accounts of teaching from the four authors.

Homeschool Student Blogs

These tech-savvy homeschool students share stories of homeschooling, family and their daily activities, as well as post pictures, artwork and essays.

71. HomeSchoolBlogger. This online community is open to students and their families to discuss education and share pictures and stories with other fellow homeschoolers.
72. Stampede Homeschool. Get up-to-date news and reviews on homeschooling and find lessons from other students and teachers.
73. Simply Vintagegirl. This homeschooled student shares stories of her experiences at home and discusses religion, photography and family.
74. Painter of Words. Read book reviews, homeschool lessons and religious discussions on this young homeschooler’s blog.
75. Seven Sisters. These seven homeschooled sisters write about cooking, God and living on the farm.
76. Aspiring Homemaker. This stay-at-home daughter and homeschool graduate blogs about life and work at home.
77. The Daily Planet. Here what this homeschool college student has to say about education, faith and friends.
78. Empowered Traditionalist. Christa Taylor, a modest clothing designer, writes about homeschool, youth and femininity.
79. Clickety-Clack. Without a formal education, this avid writer shares her thoughts on life, books and God.
80. A Pondering Heart. This 18-year-old homeschool student blogs about her daily life, stories from the homestead and is outspoken about religion and social issues.

Homeschool Laws

Before you start teaching, make sure you are up-to-date on your state’s homeschool laws and regulations.

81. Home School Legal Defense Association. Find your state’s legal options for homeschooling, as well as news, resources and legislation information.
82. Homeschool Laws & Legalities. Get the ins and the outs on homeschool laws and legal assistance to help you better understand the laws of your state and how to comply to them.
83. Home Education Magazine. Learn how to start and run a homeschool support group and how you can stay informed on homeschool laws and regulations.
84. National Conference of State Legislatures. Get an overview on compulsory education laws.
85. Homeschool World. Child immunization laws are discussed here, as well as which states allow parental choice exemptions.
86. Homeschooling Your Child. Get the latest news and information on homeschool laws and regulations.
87. Successful Homeschooling. This homeschooler has put together a list of homeschooling requirements, a summary on the history of homeschool laws and information on homeschool testing.
88. The Home School Foundation. Get information on homeschool funding, scholarships and aid for needy families in the homeschool community.
89. National Center for Home Education. This site focuses on federal legislation, federal relations and has opinionated articles.
90. Homeschooling State Regulations. Get detailed information and explanations on state regulations and rules.

Sports and Activities

Just because your child is homeschooled doesn’t mean they can’t have extracurricular activities. These sites will help you find local homeschool sports leagues, plan new activities and create fun games for your child to play at home or outdoors.

91. Homeschool Sports Network. Get information on local homeschool sports leagues in your area and follow your favorite team’s stats.
92. Homeschool Football. This is a community forum to share information, comments and strategies for homeschool football programs.
93. National Homeschool Volleyball Tournament. Get information on upcoming volleyball tournaments and see how your homeschooled child can play
94. NCAA. The National Collegiate Athletic Association provides eligibility information for homeschooled athletes interested in playing college sports.
95. The Field Trip Lady. This article is filled with field trip ideas and unique places to visit.
96. Homeschool Diner. Search through tons of fun and educational games, puzzles and hands-on activities that your kids will enjoy.
97. SchoolExpress. Get thousands of free activities online, such as jigsaw puzzles, Sudoku games and journal writing assignments.
98. Craftster. Find kid craft projects, share ideas and discuss art with fellow crafters in the public forum.
99. The Incredible Art Department. Let your homeschooler find his or her inner-artist with these art lesson plans and activities.
100. Homeschool Music Association. Find local bands, choruses, orchestras and other homeschool music groups in your area.

Evaluation Tools

Teachers, school psychologists and doctors will help you test your child for a learning disability, but in the meantime, you can use these guides and tools to check symptoms and learn more about the testing process.

1. Learning Disability Screening Quiz: About.com’s quiz is mostly for testing elementary school kids.
2. Assessing Your Child’s Learning Difficulty/Learning Disability: This guide helps you assess symptoms of ADD, ADHD, dyslexia and ASD.
3. Inclusion of Students with Special Needs: Standards and Assessment: This guide has lots of tools and resources for understanding the assessment process and certain symptoms.
4. Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligence: This quiz helps students find out their preferred learning style.
5. Early Identification: LK OnLine’s Early Identification page features resources, videos, recommended books and a FAQ section to help parents and teachers identify LD signs early.
6. Rating Scales and Checklists: Learn about this form of assessment for ADD and ADHD.
7. Top 8 Tips to Recognize Early Signs of Learning Disabilities: Ann Logsdon’s guide points out 8 signs and lots of sub-symptoms when evaluating special needs kids.
8. Late Blooming or Language Problem?: This guide from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association helps parents identify speech and communication conditions early on.
9. Dyslexia Screening Test: Parents and teachers can use this screening to test a child for dyslexia.
10. All About Autism Symptoms Video: This video from the National Autism Association outlines the principal symptoms of autism.

Reading and Writing

From innovative dictionaries to lesson plans for dyslexic students to grammar and spellcheck help, these reading and writing tools are must-haves for special needs students.

11. Multisensory Phonics: Learn about and purchase this system of phonics and literacy tools for children with dyslexia, Aspergers, austism and other learning differences.
12. CleverKeys: This free software program immediately connects to dictionaries, thesauruses and Reference.com through word processors and web browsers.
13. RFB&D: Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic has tools, lesson plans and guides for reading-challenged students.
14. CAST: Access classic literature in a flexible online format plus free tutoring tools and other add-ons to help those who face reading challenges.
15. Co-Writer: This tool isn’t free, but its writing, spelling and grammar-help features help students as they go.
16. Bookshare: This "books without barriers" project provides books and periodicals to readers with sight or reading disabilities. It includes over 50,000 digital books and textbooks.
17. LibriVox: Find free audiobooks in mp3 or ogg file format.
18. Articulate Spelling 1.22: A cute cartoon character helps kids spell and sound out words.
19. Textic Talklets 1.90: Websites become more interactive with this unique approach to text-to-speech technology. Audio clips can even be saved to mp3s and to iPods.
20. WordLogic: This tool helps dyslexic students use a keyboard, develop their writing style and more.
21. PixWriter v3.0: Young learners will associate words with pictures to help them with sentence construction and reading comprehension.
22. Text-Reader: Tools in this kit include a free Drill dictionary and text reader.
23. Aurora: Aurora features a talking spellchecker, phonetic word completion tool, homonym help, and word prediction tool are great for dyslexic students.
24. Ghotit: Ghotit’s writing assistant has a context spellchecker, word dictionary, and text-to-speech tool.
25. AnswerTips: Double click a word to get an information bubble with that word’s definition with AnswerTips.

Math Tools

Get help with math problems by working with these interactive, engaging tools.

26. Webmath: With just a few clicks, students can get answers and step-by-step study help for math problems.
27. Internet Lessons in Mathematics: The University of Washington has developed this helpful interactive math site for learning geometry and more.
28. Visually Impaired Calculator: This big-print calculator is web-based and easy to use.
29. Math Card Games for Special Education Learners: Here you’ll find math card games and activities that help special education learners practice their skills.
30. Math Made Easy: Math Made Easy features tools and lessons for students who struggle with math.
31. Math Games: These interactive math games use tangrams, spatial learning techniques, and more to provide a multisensory and interactive environment.
32. TouchMath: TouchMath uses multisensory, interactive systems to help young students learn math.
33. MathTrax: NASA’s graphing and mathematics learning tool accommodates blind and low vision users, too.
34. Education World Math Center: Find creative learning techniques and lessons like math raps, the Mathnasium and other tools for alternative math education.

Communication and Social

Not all of these tools are specifically intended for special needs students, but they can be very useful for teens and older students who need help with organization, mind mapping, meeting new people and working on their social skills.

35. Emacspeak: This speech interface for blind and low vision users supports web messaging.
36. Amiglia: Help students make connections and learn about their family history with this site, which includes albums, a family Facebook, calendars, games and more.
37. Google latitude: Teens with learning and social disorders may want to use this tool, which allows friends and family to track the teen’s location through their phone.
38. GoodReads: This online book club can help students stay on top of their reading and learn how to discuss and analyze books.
39. LivingSocial: This social cataloging site can help special needs students work on organization skills while meeting new people, branching out of their comfort zone, and exploring their own interests.
40. 43Things: Help your student feel better and more focused about setting goals by introducing them to this site.

Organization

These tools are great for students who have trouble remembering, focusing and staying on task.

41. ListPool: Students can easily create to-do lists that they can share with tutors, teachers and parents here.
42. Todoist: Todoist is another straightforward task manager that works along with an online calendar.
43. MyStickies: Students can immediately jot down ideas on websites using MyStickies.
44. Notefish: Notefish is a web tool that lets you manage projects while you research online. Special needs kids will like being able to drag and drop images, color pages and annotate notes right from their browser without having to wait until later.
45. Diigo: Diigo is another tool that lets students highlight, bookmark, add sticky notes to and basically customize websites so that they’re easier to read, manage and share.
46. Nutshell: Students can work off their to-do list as they work online with Nutshell.
47. Remember the Milk: Help students stay focused on homework assignments and everyday chores with this to-do list, which can send you reminders via IM, text or e-mail.
48. MyProgress.com: Students will like this easy goal tracker that allows them to see how much progress they’ve made.
49. ChoreBuster: Teachers and parents of special needs kids can depend on this chore organizer to keep their home or classroom on track.

Study Skills and Test Prep

These study tools and concept mapping tools can help your special needs students more organized, focused and driven.

50. Mindomo: A mind mapping system like this clearly lays out concepts and facts for visual learners.
51. FreeMind: This free and open source mind mapping tool can work as a customizable study guide or study scheduler.
52. Comapping: Comapping is an organization and study tool that helps students take better notes, understand concepts visually, collaborate with other students and teachers, and become more engaged in the learning process.
53. iWriter: This system helps you incorporate text and audio so that your study system is more interactive and completely customized.
54. bubbl.us: This is a colorful site that allows users to create brainstorming maps and then print or share them with parents and teachers.
55. HomeworkSpot: Kids and teens can find lots of study, reference and exam help in all subjects on the HomeworkSpot.
56. MAPMYself: This organic mind mapping tool follows each person’s unique train of thought.
57. Discovery Education: Discovery’s education site has free tools, videos, guides and other multimedia resources for interactive learning.
58. Vision Learning: Teachers will find graphs and other interactive learning tools for studying mid-ocean ridges, cells, atoms, and more.
59. Multiple Choice and True/False Test-Taking Tips: Students with test anxiety or other learning disorders can use this guide to master multiple choice and T/F tests.

Visual and Hearing Impairment

These tools can help visual and hearing impaired students work online and more.

60. Thunder: Thunder helps visually impaired and blind web users navigate the Internet.
61. TextAloud: This system translates into all kinds of languages and dialects, including US and UK English, LA Spanish, and more.
62. Pics4Learning.com: This image library for teachers and students can help hearing impaired students as well as students with other learning disabilities.
63. Another Lens: Hover your mouse over a selected area to view a magnified version.
64. ReadPlease: This text-to-speech software works on Windows computers.
65. e-Captioning: Research closed captioning and subtitling tools here.
66. BrainPOP: This colorful, dynamic learning site has all kinds of resources for engaging learners without using sound.
67. NonVisual Desktop Access: NVDA is a free, open source screen reader that uses text-to-speech and Braille.
68. iZoom: With iZoom, visually impaired students can magnify their computer screens.
69. BIGGY: Features included in this toolkit include bigger fonts, cursors and more for your word processor.

Web Surfing

By using these tools, special needs students, including blind and low vision students, can access all that the Internet has to offer.

70. Web Design: These toolkits help teachers and anyone else set up websites that accommodate special needs visitors.
71. WebbIE: This program helps blind and visually impaired individuals access the web.
72. Web Talkster: This free talking web browser makes it easier for the visually impaired to use the Internet.
73. SpringerLink: HTML structure is accessed through audio technology with SpringerLink.
74. BrailleSurf: This Internet browser for blind and low vision users operates a speech synthesizer.
75. Communicate: Webwide: This program makes the Internet more accessible and includes symbol and full speech support.
76. LowBrowse: Lighthouse International’s tool is an add-on to Firefox that features image enlargement, speech capability and page customization.
77. EIA: The Enhancing Internet Access system works with a specialized web browser for special education and rehabilitation environments.
78. ZAC Browser: This browser is the first web browser just for autistic children.
79. Homer: Homer is a simple but effective web browser for the blind.

Just for Teachers

These special needs educator resources and tools help with lesson plan design, classroom design, and more.

80. FASD Toolbox for Teachers: Teachers working with kids with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder can use this special needs handbook to learn how to teach study skills, problem solving, math and social skills.
81. Classroom Management: This toolkit can help teachers work with special needs kids more effectively.
82. StudyDog: Special ed teachers of Pre-K, kindergarten and 1st grade students will find lesson plans for interactive reading assignments here.
83. Special Education: New special ed teachers learn how to use bulletin boards, set up their classrooms and prepare for their unique students.
84. Resources for Early Childhood Special Education: Preschool Zone: Preschool teachers with special education students in their classes can turn to this toolkit for lesson plans and more.
85. Education Ideas and Resource: Special Needs Special Kids has put together these tools and guides for teaching young kids basic skills.
86. Outside the Box! Especially for Teachers: Special needs and special education teachers can use the glossaries, articles, curriculum ideas, assessment tools and more on this site.
87. AT Basics: Learn how to set up your keyboard, computer and classroom for hearing and visually impaired students.
88. SERGE: Check out the Special Education Resources for General Educators site for a FAQ page, tools, and support.
89. teAchnology: The Online Teacher Resource has a special education page for teachers of students with behavior problems, physical disabilities and more.
90. National Association of Special Education Teachers: NASET’s website offers all kinds of resources, references and tools for special education teachers.

Games and Activities

Help special needs students learn by playing games, using virtual reality systems and beyond.

91. Do2Learn: Special needs kids and their parents will find songs, games and other activities to help them learn how to use the phone, stay safe on the bus, and more.
92. Google Earth: Google Earth is a fun, interactive web tool for studying the Earth, maps and more.
93. Parent Pals Special Education Games: This collection of games includes four levels of activities and over 200 different games.
94. Virtual Reality Special Needs Software: These video games and virtual reality games teach life skills and more to special needs students.

Physical Disabilities

Wheelchair-bound students and students with other physical disabilities will find lots of great learning tools here.

95. Ultra Hal Assistant: This digital assistant helps special needs students stay organized.
96. Tips for Working with Students in Wheelchairs: This guide for teachers offers tips for classroom design and more.
97. No-Keys Virtual Keyboard: This virtual keyboard can use various pointing devices to type.
98. ShortKeys: This text replacement program offers helpful shortcuts for students with limited movements.
99. Camera Mouse: This free program lets students move their heads to control their mouse pointers.
100. Click-N-Type: Click-N-Type is another virtual keyboard that’s free.

General

Learn about China’s education history and its basic laws and regulations here.

1. Before 1949, 80% of the Chinese population was illiterate: Before the People’s Republic of China was founded, nearly 80% of the 500 million people living in China were illiterate. During Mao Zedong’s rule, education became one of the government’s chief priorities and experienced great change during the Cultural Revolution.
2. Chinese citizens must attend school for nine years: The public education system in China, governed by the Ministry of Education, states that all Chinese citizens must attend school for at least nine years.
3. Chinese youth have a 99% literacy rate: UNICEF reports that from 2000-2007, Chinese youth ages 15-24 years old enjoyed a 99% literacy rate.
4. China intends to match developed countries for supplies and school conditions by 2010: Though China’s primary and secondary schools are lacking in supplies and modern structures, they have created a special fund that will allow them to match the standards of well-developed countries by the year 2010.
5. Private schools were not implemented until the 1980s: While private schools have been common in the United States for years, China did not allow private schools to operate until the early 1980s.
6. Local governments and businesses oversee secondary education: High schools and upper middle schools are run by state and local governments as well as local business leaders.
7. Senior-level middle schoolers or high schoolers must pay tuition: After completing the compulsory nine years of education, students who wish to continue in high school, or the senior-level middle school, must pay a small tuition fee.
8. After-School Education: After-school education is an important aspect of the Chinese education system, and it is overseen by joint efforts between the Communist Youth League, Committee for Women’s and Children’s Work, and various departments in charge of education, technology, culture and more.

Layout and Grade-Specific

Discover the intricate layout of preschool, primary school and secondary school in this section.

9. Preschool lasts three years: Chinese students often start preschool as young as three years old and do not enter elementary school until they are six.
10. Preschool curriculum: Preschools and kindergartens put a lot of emphasis on training young children, since the Chinese believe that this time is crucial to personality development. Students are taught to play games, dance, sing, act and uphold the values of Truth, Kindness and Beauty.
11. Middle school is split into two categories: Lower middle school students receive a basic academic education including foreign language, Chinese language and math, but after they graduate, they take a test to determine their vocational/technical path or another basic extension of traditional school in which students learn science and the humanities while preparing for university.
12. High school lasts for three years: Chinese students receive primary or elementary school education for six or seven years, but are typically in middle school and high school for three years each.
13. Vocational schools: Vocational schools train students to become medium-level workers like technical personnel, construction managers and farmers.
14. Schools for Skilled Workers: These schools are set up to train junior middle school graduates in production and operations fields.
15. Students must take a test to go to high school or vocational school: Those who do not pass the test effectively end their formal education.
16. Preschool education in rural areas is still a work in progress: In China’s remote, aging communities, preschools and primary schools use alternative education options like game groups, activity centers and mobile aid centers to reach young children.
17. Vacation: Primary schools have 13 weeks of vacations and holidays, junior secondary schools have 12 weeks, and senior secondary schools have 10-11 weeks of vacation and holidays.
18. Junior Vocational Schools are mostly located in rural areas: Junior vocational schools, which prepare students to enter the labor market, are most often found in rural and disadvantaged communities.
19. Special education: Gifted and special needs students were not addressed until the 1985 National Conference on Education. There are now 1,540 special education schools in China, plus special vocation training schools for special needs students.

Higher Education

College and graduate school enrollment has increased significantly in the last few decades. Learn how and why these changes are occurring below.

20. College students apply through a central enrollment system: China’s Ministry of Education oversees all college applications.
21. Each year, nearly half a million engineering students graduate from college: Wikipedia estimates that each year, 450,000 engineering students graduate from Chinese universities.
22. Adult higher education programs have increased: In 2002, the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China reports, there were 607 higher education institutions (HEIs) for adults and over 2.2 million adults enrolled in unique higher education programs.
23. Tuition changes: China used to cover the costs of college students, but a new system is evolving, in which students compete for scholarships and some students pay part of their tuition.
24. Graduate education is a relatively new concept: As China plans to improve its economic status, more systems are put into place to support graduate education. Between 1990 and 1995, graduate education enrollment increased at an average annual rate of 9.3%.
25. Between 1999 and 2004, college enrollment nearly quadrupled: In 1999, enrollment in higher education stood at 1.6 million, and in 2004, enrollment was up to 4.473 million students.

Proteins

Protein is the best way to get amino acids which are essential to brain health that the body cannot synthesize itself. A high-protein diet is usually recommended to athletes as it helps to build strong muscles, so give that brain a workout with protein-rich foods!

Spinach: Along with other leafy vegetables, spinach is a good dietary source of protein. An added benefit to spinach is that it contains anti-oxidants that can dispose of free radicals.

Nuts and Seeds: Another great source of protein. Easy to snack on and readily available, nuts/seeds/whole grain foods make for a great way to easily improve your brain power.

Eggs: Not only do they contain a large amount of protein for your brain, but they also carry a great deal of choline, a member of the B-Vitamin group and responsible for maintaining the health of neurotransmitters in the brain.

Fats

We often hear that we need more “omega-3” or that a food is rich in “omega-3”, so when you hear this, know that they’re referring to a type of fatty acid which is usually considered as being food for the brain as well as having the added benefit of reducing heart disease, amongst other things.

Seeds and Nuts: Returning again, seeds and nuts are a fantastic source of fatty acids, including the omega-3 variety of fatty acid. Prime examples of nuts or seeds will include almonds and pumpkin seeds.

Fish and Shellfish: Rich in fatty acids and omega-3, fish truly is food for thought. You’ll often find that people will claim fish is the number one food to make you more intelligent. Anything Oily: Except maybe for people, you’ll find that anything that’s vaguely oily (fish, flaxseed, soya oil, virgin olive oil) will be high in fatty acids and a lot of them will also contain decent amounts of omega-3 for added brain-boosting power.

Carbohydrates

When people think of carbohydrates, they might think of the “carbs” which are bad for them because they induce weight gain. But the truth is that carbohydrates are the main source of fuel for metabolism, the body breaks down carbohydrates and is in return supplied with energy to keep going, thus keeping your brain alert and active. The problem is knowing how much to have, for having too much can indeed lead to weight gain (as can too much of anything) and a high blood/sugar level, but can be partially countered with non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, for example.

Starch-Rich Vegetables: Pastas, corn, carrots and potatoes are all high in carbohydrates and starch, providing the body (and therefore the brain) with an abundant energy source.

Whole Grain Foods: Another supply of energy can be found in common whole grain foods such as breads and cereals, things we commonly have for breakfast to give ourselves that much-needed wake-up boost in the mornings.

Minerals and Vitamins

Vitamins and minerals also contribute to the fight against harmful free radicals, as well as being full of anti-oxidants and other beneficial nutrients, they generally keep the body at its healthiest, maintaining the status quo, as it were. The building blocks of a healthy mind and body. Fruit and Vegetables: The most common and plentiful supplies of vitamins and minerals can be found in such everyday items as small portions of the most common fruits (apples, bananas, oranges, etc) and stir-fried/raw vegetables.

Vitamin Supplements: Supplements shouldn’t be frowned upon for any reason just because they come in little labeled boxes and containers. They can be an incredibly important and beneficial source of health for a person, however, it is important to stress the fact that one cannot live on supplements alone. Think of them as a booster to a well-balanced diet, greatly enhancing the effects of the nutrients contained within normal food.

Sometimes, information is hard to understand just because it’s presented in a manner that just doesn’t quite appeal to the way we like to learn best. While it isn’t always possible to take every class or complete every project in a way that fits into your individual style, there are ways that you can help to ensure that you’re making the most of the material at hand. Here are a few tips to help you start improving your learning experience by helping make it work a little better with your needs, whether you’re a visual, auditory or kinesthetic learner.

Visual Learners

Those who are visual learners understand concepts and ideas better when they are presented in pictures, text, drawings, graphs, charts or other visual representations. Here are some tips for making your coursework and schooling a little easier if you’re a visual learner.

Organization

Keeping your stuff together and staying on task can sometimes be a challenge. These tips can give visual learners a leg up on organization.

1. Color code. If you color code classes, assignments or anything else you’ll be able to identify and locate these items just at a glance. It can be helpful if you’ve got a habit of being messy.
2. Make lists. One way to organize your thoughts is to put them on paper or on the computer. Once you’ve created this visual representation it will be easier to see what you need to get done.
3. Keep like materials together. Creating groups can be one way to keep yourself visually organized. If you’ve got books and notebooks for one class, try keeping these together.
4. Diagram how things are related. Whether you’re trying to get research done for classes or just figuring out anything in your day to day life, you can benefit from creating a diagram or mind map to show how elements are interconnected and how you need to proceed.

In Class

Keep focused in class with these tips.

5. Always take notes. If you have a hard time remembering things that you hear, make sure to write them down. This can give you a visual reference later.
6. Visualize how to spell words. Spelling words in your own language or in another can be hard for visual learners who are just hearing them. Tying spellings, especially difficult ones, to visual cues can make it easier.
7. Relate things through graphs and charts. If your class is filled with facts and figures it can be helpful to lay them out in ways that make more sense to visual learners, like graphs, charts or diagrams. Your information will be more organized and easier for you to understand, helping you in the long run.
8. Use several colors. Some visual learners find that it helps to use different colors of ink to highlight different areas of their notes. Vocab words can be in one color, definitions in another and so on.
9. Sketch. Whether you’re taking a class on architecture or human anatomy it can be helpful to sketch out concepts sometimes. It will help you to better remember and understand how they work later.
10. Look at your professor. Because visual learners are so dependent on seeing things to understand it can help to sit near the front of the class and look at your professor. This can alert you to subtle body language and help you stay more engaged and focused.
11. Copy information off the board or overheads. If your professor is providing you with visual information to use in class, copy things down to your own notebooks, even if you can look it up later.

Studying

Studying can be a bore sometimes, but you can make the time you spend more effective with these tips.

12. Create a timeline. When dealing with a sequence of events you’re trying to remember or understand it can be useful to lay them out in chronological order on a timeline. This way, you’ll be able to more easily visualize how things changed over time.
13. Make outlines. Whether you’re writing a paper or just condensing your notes to key concepts, creating an outline is a great way to organize information in a way you can see.
14. Study in large blocks. Visual learners are often very good at concentrating for long periods of time. Take advantage of this and get your studying out of the way in big chunks.
15. Diagram anything you can. Diagramming can be a good way for visual learners to understand a variety of topics, from geological processes to sentence structure.
16. Make lists of important topics. Listing out the most important topics from your notes or readings can be a good way to help you remember the key elements and provides a visual reference for later.
17. Watch videos on relevant topics. Videos can be a big help to visual learners when trying to understand coursework. Search the Web for videos that apply to your topic to see if you can find some great visual tools.
18. Take notes on reading material. While understanding reading material is generally second nature to visual learners, taking notes can help improve the amount of information you retain and gives you something to study from later.
19. Use flashcards. Using images or text on flashcards can be a great way to associate concepts or vocabulary words with visual representations. Create separate piles for cards you answer correctly and those you miss. Go through the missed ones until you can get them all right.
20. Highlight, circle and underline. Creating visual cues for yourself as to what parts of your notes or reading are most important can be a a great way get more out of the time you spend working on homework and studying.
21. Look for photos. If there are images of what you’re learning about in class try to find them. This can often be all you need to understand even the most complex of concepts.
22. Implement mind maps. Mind maps can be a great way for visual learners to organize information from a class or to come up with ideas for projects and papers.
23. Use the computer. Much of our interaction with the computer is done in a visual manner, and this can form an ideal learning environment for visual learners. Check the Web for programs and sites you can use to improve your learning experience.
24. Try creating mental images. When you’re struggling to remember things, sometimes creating a mental image for yourself can help, especially when it comes to things that aren’t visual by nature.
25. Find visual representations of audio recordings. If your class relies on historical recordings or other audio materials try finding text versions of the same things. This can be a great way to help you get some visuals and possibly remember more.
26. Keep things quiet. Most visual learners are very easily distracted by noise in the background or other people talking around them when they’re trying to do work or study. Find a quiet place like the library to do your work.
27. Engage your imagination. Visual learners love to use their imaginations and think of new things. Use your imaginative abilities to come up with new ways of seeing topics in class, ideas for papers or great ways to visually represent an idea.

Using Other Learning Methods

The fact is that sometimes you’re not going to be able to use the learning method that works best for you. Here are some ways you can help improve your skills in auditory and kinesthetic learning.

28. Work on listening and speaking. Because visual learners are some image and text oriented, make it a priority to work on your listening and speaking abilities. Many jobs will require this from you in the future and you’ll be ahead of the game if you build the skills beforehand.
29. Don’t always rely on notes. Try testing yourself occasionally to remember material without writing it down. It can be better to do this with less important things at first and work your way up.
30. Try listening to texts. Improve your listening abilities by getting audio recordings of materials for class instead of text ones. This can be difficult at first but will help you learn to better process auditory information.
31. Write things down afterwards. See if you can remember a list of things without writing them down immediately. Wait a few minutes before writing them down to work on remembering oral information.
32. Create a process. Boost your kinesthetic skills by creating a process for everything you do. This interactivity with studying, homework or preparing for class can help you learn to engage your whole body in the learning process.
33. Work with others. While visual learners are not usually opposed to working with others, they do not require it as much as those that learn through interaction. Working with your classmates can be a great way to boost your abilities to work and learn with others, skills that will serve you your whole life.

Auditory Learners

Auditory learners understand things through hearing them, meaning they are partial to learning that involves music, talking and other kinds of sounds. Make the most of your learning abilities by using these tips to help you get through classes.

Organization

Keep your thoughts and things organized with some of these tips.

34. Repeat to-dos to yourself. Repeating the tasks you have to do can be a great way for auditory learners to remember them.
35. Create auditory cues. Have to set aside times to study and take breaks? Set up timers for yourself to indicate when to start and stop to help you better organize your time.
36. Make sure things are logical. Auditory learners have a preference for information that presented in a logical manner. Give yourself this advantage by keeping all your class materials together in a way that makes the most sense to you.
37. Leave yourself audio messages. Need to remember tasks or organize your thoughts for later? Get a tape recorder and leave yourself messages that you can listen to later.

In Class

Many class formats suit auditory learners quite well, but here are some additional tips to get the most out of class time.

38. Use a tape recorder. If taking notes does nothing to help you remember classroom lectures, then try recording them with a small tape recorder instead.
39. Ask questions. Asking questions can be a great way for auditory learners to cement in their minds the things they do know while helping them understand the things they don’t.
40. Sit in the front of class. Make sure you hear what’s going on in your classes by sitting up front.
41. Participate in discussions. If there’s a class discussion going on make sure you take part. It can help you to remember more and take more away from the class.
42. Close your eyes. If you can manage to do so without falling asleep, concentrating on the audio elements of your class while shutting out the visual can help you focus in.
43. Don’t skip class. While visual learners can read the material they miss and learn just as easily without going to class, as an auditory learner you may have a much harder time. So, no matter how tired you are, get up and get to class.
44. Ask for things to be repeated. Repetition can be a great way to remember concepts and can also help to ensure that you fully understand them as well.

Studying

Learn to study better and more effectively with these tips.

45. Study with others. Bouncing your ideas off others and talking out information from class can help you get a lot more from study sessions, so long as you don’t get distracted.
46. Read texts out loud. While it may take you a little longer, it can help you to remember more in the long run.
47. Get audio books. If you don’t want to read to yourself you may be able to find someone else to do it. Check to see if your class materials are available on tape instead.
48. Create oral stories to narrate ideas. Put the information from your class, whether it’s history or vocab words, together into a story for yourself and repeat it out loud. It may help you remember the material more easily.
49. Dictate your papers. Auditory learners may find it easier to narrate their papers and homework into a recorder and type them up later.
50. Work problems out orally. While talking to yourself may make you feel like a crazy person, it can also be a great way to help you understand material and better complete your homework.
51. Make speeches and presentations. If you’re given a choice, present your work in a oral format rather than a written one.
52. Create musical ways to aid memorization. Making up a song or a tune to memorize words and processes to can be a great help to many auditory learners.
53. Read notes to yourself. Reading over your notes out loud can be more beneficial to auditory learners than simply reading them quietly.
54. Explain ideas to others. Some students may find that they understand their coursework better when they explain it to other students.
55. Discuss your ideas verbally.Talk with other students, your teachers any anyone else to get your ideas out there. It can make it easier to formulate your ideas and shape your homework assignments.
56. Watch videos. Just like visual learners, auditory learners can benefit from watching educational materials. Browse video sites on the Web to find pertinent information to help you out.
57. Read directions aloud. If you’re having trouble understanding an assignment, try reading it out loud to yourself. You may find you understand it better then.
58. Try finding podcasts. Because auditory learners respond better to things they hear, finding educational podcasts can be a great way to supplement notes and lessons.
59. Listen to music. Some auditory learners find it helpful to listen to music quietly or to go to a public place to study, as they enjoy the background noise.
60. Put on headphones. You can help focus on the auditory elements of your environment by putting on headphones. This can help you to concentrate on the task at hand.
61. Spell things out loud. When learning new words, it can be helpful for auditory learners to say and spell them out loud until they sound familiar.
62. Use rhymes to remember important things. Rhyming can be a great way to create mnemonic devices to remember all kinds of information you need to know for classes.

Using Other Learning Methods

Learning without noise can be hard for auditory learners but they can boost their skills with these tips.

63. Mix formats. When trying to learn using another method it can be helpful to mix formats at first. This can mean watching videos, following along in a book to an audio recording, and more.
64. Write more down. You may not learn the best from things you write down, but you can help start adding note taking to your studying process.
65. Try to get meaning from photos. To improve your visual skills, spend some time looking at photos and visual representations of the information from class.
66. Play games and use flashcards. Make your learning process a little more hands on by creating games and using flashcards to study. If you struggle with this method you can also switch to an audio format instead.
67. Create charts and graphs. Map out the data in your class into graphs, charts and diagrams to give you a more visual representation of what it’s saying.

Kinesthetic Learners

Kinesthetic learners work the best when they can get hands on with things. This means interactive learning experiences like labs, demonstrations and computer programs help them to learn the most. Here are some tips for using these kinds of thing to study, work and organize.

Organization

Take a hands on approach to keeping your school stuff, and everything else, organized with these tips.

68. Make materials tactile. Because kinesthetic learners are so focused on touch, organizing along those lines can helpful. Buy notebooks and folders with different surfaces or create them yourself to make it easy and fun to touch your materials and distinguish one from another.
69. Use the computer. Computers are highly interactive devices and can excite and interest kinesthetic learners. Keeping to-do lists and assignments organized on the computer can be a great way to make organization easier.
70. Create processes. Make your organizational habits more interactive by creating a process. Whether it means turning on your favorite music when you start to pull things together or doing things in a particular order, find a process that works for you.
71. Make it active. Being organized doesn’t have to mean sitting in one place while you do it. Make cleaning, organizing and ordering more fun by getting active while doing it.
72. Make sure materials are functional. Kinesthetic learners are all about function over form. Make sure the materials you use to organize are highly functional.

In Class

Make the most of the time you spend in class each week with some help from these tips.

73. Take lab classes. Lab classes offer kinesthetic learners the perfect opportunity to interact with the materials pertinent to their class. If you can, try taking classes that include a lab element so you get as much hands on time as possible.
74. Go on field trips. Going to a museum, park or historical place that relates to what you’re learning can be a great interactive way to understand what you’re learning about.
75. Interact with professors and classmates. Don’t just sit quietly in the back of class, ask questions, interact with teachers, and work with other students. This will create a much more engaged learning experience and you’ll take more away from it.
76. Write and draw lecture materials. Just sitting and listening to a lecture may not be enough to make it stick in your mind. Take notes and make sketches related to class to reinforce the material.
77. Sit near the front. It will be easier for you to interact with your teacher and see what is going on if you sit near the front.
78. Chew gum. when you’re in a quiet classroom tapping a pen or your foot can be annoying to other students but many kinesthetic learners find it difficult to sit still. Chewing gum, quietly, can be a good way to keep moving around without bothering anyone else.
79. Type notes. If you can bring your laptop into the classroom, try typing notes out as the class goes along. This will keep your hands busy while you listen.

Studying

Keep yourself interacting with your study materials by trying out these ideas.

80. Study in short blocks. Kinesthetic learners will get the most out of short study sessions with breaks in between to get up and move around.
81. Role play. One way to get invested in your material is to act it out with yourself or classmates. You’re much more likely to remember material you’ve gotten involved with using your whole body.
82. Study with others. Working with other students gives you a chance to interact and bounce your ideas off of others, and can be a great way to improve study time.
83. Use memory games. Playing games to help you remember important vocab words and concepts can make learning fun and much more interactive than reading them out of a books.
84. Create flash cards. Along those same lines, flash cards are a great tool to help kinesthetic learners remember important information.
85. Make time to move around. Don’t just sit still and force yourself to study for hours. It’s likely you’ll just be thinking about that instead of focusing on what you should be studying. Incorporate breaks into your study schedule.
86. Draw or write things out. Get involved with your classroom materials by drawing or writing them out even if they are in audio format.
87. Create models. Because kinesthetic learners love to make things they can interact with, creating models, dioramas or computer animations can help them to better get a handle on even the most complex concepts.
88. Trace letters and words. When trying to learn new words in English or a foreign language kinesthetic learners can benefit from tracing them out on paper or using their eraser to spell them out.
89. Think about studying while working out or walking. You don’t have to sit still to study. Try listening to materials related to class while walking between classes, taking a jog on the treadmill or just cleaning your house.
90. Go through the motions. When you’re learning about processes it can be useful to act out how they work. You may remember more when you have the motions to go along with the words.
91. Draw charts and diagrams. Like visual learners, kinesthetic learners benefit from creating charts and diagrams of information from class.
92. Make things tangible. Abstract concepts may be difficult for kinesthetic learners to understand as they are interested more in things that can be touched and dealt with physically. Think of ways to represent these abstract concepts as tangible objects to make them easier to understand.
93. Copy notes. Rewriting the material in your notes can be a good way to help you remember it.
94. Multitask. For some people multitasking simply doesn’t work, but more highly active kinesthetic learners may find it highly productive.
95. Use interactive learning materials. Whether you create flash cards, pay games, quiz yourself on the computer or talk with friends, make sure the way you’re studying involves a certain amount of interactivity.
96. Don’t sit still. Sitting still can be a hard thing for many kinesthetic learners. Allow yourself to move around as you study, do homework or work on projects. You’ll stay more interested, no matter how boring the material is.

Using Other Learning Methods

Improve your skills in other learning methods by trying these methods out.

97. Talk things through. Work on your auditory learning skills by talking yourself through homework problems or to understand better understand notes and class materials.
98. Try to keep still and focus. It’s not in the nature of kinesthetic learners to sit still for long periods of time but work on improving your ability to stay put can be advantage for times when you have to.
99. Work at understanding things abstractly. You won’t always be able to create models or drawings of things you’re learning so work on trying to understand concepts without these aids when you can.
100. Listen to audio materials. Listening to CDs and other audio recordings instead of reading can help you to improve your auditory understanding of things. If it helps you, you can walk around or use your hands to work on something else while listening to these recordings.
101. Watch videos. Videos combine both auditory and visual learning, and can be a great way to improve your ability to learn either way.