How Much Should You Pay A Math Tutor?

How Much Should You Pay A Math Tutor?Paying a math tutor is something that you should do. You need someone to help you with all of your problems.However, how can you know how much to pay your math tutor? There are many different factors that you will need to take into consideration. This article will give you some good tips to help you determine how much you should be paying for your math tutor.First, you need to decide on how much time you are willing to spend with your tutor. This is important because if you aren't sure about how much time you have available you won't be able to accurately predict how much money you should be paying. So, make sure you're willing to spend the time with your tutor so you can get the most accurate results.Next, find out what the tutor's experience is. Find out what the individual has done in the past and see how long they have been working. If you know they have had previous tutoring experiences, this can be a major benefit to you. You should also loo k at other tutors that they may have worked with to see how they fare as far as results.Finally, try to find out what type of tutoring the tutor does. For example, do they specialize in one subject or many? Do they use certain methods for solving problems?Tutors vary greatly and some tutors specialize in a particular method of solving a problem. That is why it is important to find out exactly what the tutor does before you pay them. You want to make sure you are getting tutoring that is best suited to your needs.Finally, consider the difficulty of the math you are having trouble with. If you think you are having problems with high school math, you can find a tutor that specializes in high school math. However, if you are having trouble with middle school math, then it might be a good idea to hire a tutor that is more experienced in middle school math.It can be difficult to choose which math tutor is best for you, but if you take all of these different things into consideration, you will be able to pick the best math tutor for you. Finding the right math tutor pay is important and finding the right math tutor can help you get through math class.

The Bruice Organic Chemistry Blog

The Bruice Organic Chemistry BlogThe Bruice Organic Chemistry blog can help you understand some of the complexities involved in chemistry. Unfortunately, not everyone has access to this type of knowledge, or is educated enough to understand the importance of what you read on a daily basis. With this in mind, this might be a great idea for those who are just getting started in their career as well as for those who are trying to learn more about the field of chemistry.One thing to note with the Bruice blog is that most of the posts and articles written by Dr. Dre will come from a personal experience. In other words, it can be difficult to interpret a reading on a daily basis if you don't have direct personal experience to relate to.The Bruice Organic Chemistry blog is also great for those who are in a field that doesn't require a large amount of training or experience. The same goes for those who are simply interested in learning more about chemistry.The Bruice Organic Chemistry blog w ill explain in simple terms some of the basics that are involved in chemistry. The reason why this is helpful is because a lot of the topics that need to be covered are actually fairly simple. Often times, reading about chemistry can be very confusing, especially to someone who is new to the field of chemistry.The comments section of the Bruice Organic Chemistry blog can be a great resource for those who want to get an understanding of how they can apply what they read on the blog to their professional lives. People who are new to chemistry often find it hard to learn what they need to know before they enter a field that requires a great deal of learning.In addition to talking about the Bruice Organic Chemistry blog, Dr. Dre's chemistry podcast can also be a great resource for those who are just starting to learn about chemistry. Because Dr. Dre puts so much emphasis on the podcast, it can provide those who want to learn more about chemistry for a great resource.Just make sure that you take your time when learning about chemistry. Sometimes, learning about it can be easy, but it might take a long time for someone who just started out.

Online Chemistry Tutors

Online Chemistry TutorsWhether you're working towards a degree in Organic Chemistry or if you're just looking to improve your Chemistry grades, you can find an online Chemistry tutor in the form of a website or a private tutor. However, you will need to consider which type of online Chemistry tutor will suit your learning style, their availability and the time that you have to spend with them.When you start to look for an online Chemistry tutor, it is important to check if they offer the format you're looking for. For example, if you are someone who wants to take Chemistry courses at the most convenient time possible, then you may want to check with them to see if they offer 'live' learning.For a teacher who is teaching a class of two students, this means that the student who is the instructor of record can actually talk with the students individually while the other student is taking their test or homework, so that they can watch what their students are doing and ensure that they're doing their homework correctly. It can also mean that the teacher can set up a time to take the students' test or assignments together, allowing you to take your test with your classmates.Another option that you may want to consider if you are looking for an online Organic Chemistry tutor is the possibility of taking 'homework lessons.' This can mean that you get to interact with the online tutors in the same way that you would with a real one and that you get to spend the rest of your day in class with the tutor and get feedback from them as well.Online tutors will usually work from home or from their own offices, so that you don't have to worry about travel time. However, it is always important to remember that in the long run, whether you choose online, a live online or a private tutor, the price that you pay will be based on the amount of work that you do each week, not whether or not you are able to afford the tutor.If you decide to use an online tutoring service, it is import ant to make sure that you have enough knowledge about the materials to which you are taking the classes, and that you have all the online experience you'll need to communicate effectively with the online tutors. If you have a good knowledge about the content of the course, then you should be able to communicate well with the online tutor, as you probably would face to face.Finally, when you are going to look for an online Organic Chemistry tutor, it is important to make sure that you take your time to decide on the best online option for you. You don't want to waste your time or money by taking an online chemistry tutor who isn't available.

Recession Can Not Slow Interest In Elite Colleges

Recession Can Not Slow Interest In Elite Colleges The stacks and online databases of hopeful, entrance applications for the incoming 2009-2010 freshmen class have grown sharply for the nations top, competitive schools, decreasing the chances of acceptance, according to The New York Times. Harvard, Stanford, Dartmouth, Yale and Brown are some of the more recognizable schools that saw increases in applications. These schools have traditionally been highly selective, and they have scrutinized applications further, making it one of the toughest years for hopeful students. The Times reported that the percentage of students accepted into these competitive colleges has been or near record lows. Bill Fitzsimmons, dean of admissions and financial aid at Harvard since 1986, told The New York Times that Harvard had a record high number of applications for this year with 29,112. This marked a 6% increase from last year. He said that the percentage of students admitted dropped from 8% last year to 7%. Dartmouth had a similar numbers with 18,130 applications and a 12% acceptance rate, both of which were records. Stanford had a 20% increase in applications with 30,350 with an estimated 7.5% acceptance rate, which would be its lowest in school history. Furthermore, Yale, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton all experienced increases in applications. Brown reported increases of 21%, Yale 14%, Columbia 13%, Cornell 3%, the University of Pennsylvania 4% and Princeton said it was up 2% as of January, according to The New York Times. Despite the increase of interest in Ivy League Schools and many other elite, selective colleges, many liberal arts schools had a decline in applications, according to The New York Times. Williams Colleges, in Massachusetts, overall applications dropped 20%, which increased the percentage of accepted students to 20%. The New York times attributed the schools drop to its location. The New York Times reported that travelling to and from school could be expensive because Williams College is distant from any major city or airport. Middlebury College in Vermont had a 12% drop in applications for similar reasons, according to The New York Times . Amherst, a Williams College rival, in Massachusetts reported that applications were down 1%; however, the college boosted its admission rate to 16% because Amherst wants to increase its number of first-year students by 25. Wesleyan University in Connecticut, however, had a 22% increase in applications, dropping its admission rate by 5% to 22%. There were not many changes in the common application, an online application that over 350 universities accept, according to The New York Times. The Times also reported that there has been a surge in applications for major, well-known public universities. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, The University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and The University of Virginia in Charlottesville all saw gains in the number of applications. Because of these increasing statistics, students will find it increasingly difficult and more competitive to get into these elite universities. The chance of that acceptance letter bearing good news in the mailbox is greatly decreasing. The U.S News and World Report reported its rankings of the best, national schools in mid June, 2009. 1. Harvard University: Cambridge, MA 2. Princeton University: Princeton, NJ 3. Yale University: New Haven, CT 4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Cambridge, MA 4. Stanford University: Stanford, CA 6. California Institute of Technology: Pasadena, CA 6. University of Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, PA 8. Columbia University: New York, NY 8. Duke University: Durham, NC 8. University of Chicago: Chicago, IL 11. Dartmouth University: Hanover, NH 12. Northwestern University: Evanston, IL 12. Washington University: Saint Louis, MO 14. Cornell University: Ithaca, NY 15. Johns Hopkins University: Baltimore, MD 16. Brown University: Providence, RI

Learn Hindi Tools for Improving Hindi Conversation Skills

Learn Hindi Tools for Improving Hindi Conversation Skills 6 Tips for Improving Your Hindi Conversation ChaptersWhy Can’t I Speak Hindi?Practise Your Listening Skills in the Hindi LanguageLearn to Speak Hindi With Conversation PartnersImmerse Yourself in Hindi Language and CultureSo you’ve signed up for Hindi language courses, you’ve learned the Devanagari alphabet, practised your vocabulary, done all your grammar exercises, but your conversation is limited to the basic words and phrases covered in your beginners’ textbook?Despite all the time you have put aside to study Hindi verb declensions, you still aren’t able to communicate fluently?Here are some Superprof tips and tricks to improve your conversational Hindi. GiusyHindi Teacher 5.00 (3) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnchalHindi Teacher 5.00 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NehaHindi Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AkshayaHindi Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SuhaniHindi Teacher 5.00 (4) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutor s MedhaHindi Teacher 5.00 (2) £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PriyankaHindi Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SaurabhHindi Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhy Can’t I Speak Hindi?How is it that, even though you have been learning your vocabulary religiously, done all the written exercises to learn sentence structure and basic phrases, you still can’t get out more than simple greetings in spoken conversation?That is because you learn languages on several levels. They can be divided into:Written and oral comprehensionActive and passive vocabularyWritten versus Oral ComprehensionReading something - whether in the Hindi alphabet or transliteration - and hearing it are two different things. Unless you really have an excellent ear, there will always be a certain variation in what you hear when you read a vocabulary list and what you hear when the words are spoken by a native speaker.For one thing, someone with Hindi as his mother tongue will probably be speaking faster than you. When you read, you have all the time you need to consider the Hindi words and figure out their meaning. For another, he or she might be speaking a dialect that pronounces things slightly differently, whereas the words will always look the same when written down.Understanding each other and having a conversation in Hindi is essential for good international relations! Photo credit: UK in India on Visual huntActive versus Passive VocabularyThen there is the difference between passive and active vocabulary - the difference between understanding and speaking.It’s easier to understand something that is said because all you need to do is remember the vocabulary. Hopefully, your grammar lessons included enough examples of Hindi phrases that you can eventually automatically comprehend which word is the subject, object and verb.However, when you try to speak yourself, you not only have to find the right words but also:arrange them in the ri ght orderdecline the verb tenses,use the right gender,match adjectives in number and gender to the nouns, etc.This may come easily when faced with words on paper, but in front of a live person who is waiting for an answer, perhaps impatiently, whom you feel might be judging you, you often freeze up. Maybe you’re also afraid of getting it wrong and being misunderstood, of your pronunciation not being up to par.All this comes together to make having a conversation in the Hindi language more difficult than reading or writing. It’s also why it’s often easier to speak a language while drunk - while you still need to call forth the words from your passive vocabulary, you stop overthinking things and simply get the words out.But since we at Superprof cannot condone drunken language learning, here are some tips for improving your ear and improving your conversation.Practise Your Listening Skills in the Hindi LanguageThe first part of a conversation is understanding what people are tel ling you. This means improving your listening skills and learning to understand Hindi spoken as a native language.How to learn Hindi through audioOne way to get used to the tones and rhythms of the Hindi language is to listen to an audio recording.   It frees you from visual stimuli and lets you focus on the rise and fall of the language.This is a good solution for learning Hindi on the go. You can listen to audio files almost anywhere - on your daily commute, while out jogging, while doing grunt work or just before going to sleep. Just remember: safety first! You need to be able to hear your surroundings if you are outside or working.So what kind of audio files are good for practising your Hindi?listening to Hindi music.Tuning in to a Hindi online radio station or podcast.Downloading your favourite Hindi books as audiobooks.Learning Hindi in a classroom is the first step - immersing yourself in Hindi language and culture is the next! Photo credit: WorldLitToday on VisualhuntLearnin g Hindi through Hindi videoBut while listening to the Hindi language is good for learning the rhythm of Hindi, the best way to get used to Hindi conversation is to actually see someone speak - after all, the Indian culture is different from ours. There are going to be different visual cues and body language.For example, where we might nod to show we understand or to punctuate a sentence, in many parts of India they dip their head slightly to the side.Body language and facial expressions are as important a part of learning a new language as knowing your Hindi vocabulary by heart.For that, you need to see people speaking Hindi. And there are several ways to do that:Learn Hindi online with video blogs, tutorials and YouTube videos. They don’t have to be about learning Hindi, you can watch videos about anything that interests you.Watch Indian TV via satellite or online libraries.Watch Bollywood movies. Not only will you have fun and learn about the Indian culture, you will also practi ce your Hindi through listening to dialogue.Careful, though! Not every Indian video will be in Hindi - they could be in Nepali, Kannada, Gujarati, Tamil, Punjabi, Marathi or Bengali.Learn to Speak Hindi With Conversation PartnersBut though improving your listening skills is a good start, it’s not quite enough for your conversation skills. For that, you need the give-and-take of an actual conversation. This is the best way to learn Hindi expressionsBut how can you speak to a native speaker without going to India?The best way is to hook up with a language partner.Often, this takes the form of a language exchange. You find someone who speaks Hindi and who wants to learn to speak English, and you each spend some time talking exclusively in each language.There are various ways you can get in touch with a potential language partner.Finding the right Hindi language exchange partner is the first step to improving your Hindi conversation! Photo on Visualhunt.How to learn Hindi with live la nguage partnersA nice way to learn Hindi and make new friends is to meet up with a language partner in person. There are several websites that can pair you up with a native Hindi speaking course near you.Or you can see if your local university offers Hindi as a subject. If it does, you can go there and put up a notice on the message board if they have one, advertising for someone to speak Hindi with.You can also ask local Indian restaurants if you can put up a notice, or in shops that sell Indian products.Be certain that you first meet in a neutral location, such as a café. Ordering food is also a good way to break the ice!A good way to make sure you have something to talk about the first few meetings is to both read an article or book or watch the same Hindi movie and discuss it.Language partners onlineThere are a number of apps and websites that let you chat with people from various countries - whether you want to learn Portuguese, learn Korean, learn Arabic or learn Chinese. Mos tly, it’s written - so they are not necessarily ideal for practising speaking. However, this is a good intermediate solution for learning the give-and-take of conversation while still leaving you time to order your thoughts.A few apps and websites where people can post their interest in language chats are:Conversation ExchangeItalki  My Language ExchangeSome of them, though, offer written or face chats on-site (or in-app) such as:Open Language Exchange  Scrabbin  Tandem (app)HelloTalk (app)Another option is to get a private tutor in Hindi, either live or via Skype.Immerse Yourself in Hindi Language and CultureThe best possible way of learning a language, though, is through immersion. And that means going to India.When choosing where in India you want to live, be sure to choose someplace where Hindi is the main language. For while Hindi is the official language of India for many purposes, it is only one of many. Mostly it is spoken in northern India, in the following states:BiharCh hattisgarhDelhiHaryanaHimachal PradeshJharkhandMadhya PradeshRajasthanUttarakhandUttar PradeshThere are some other places, such as Mumbai, where Hindi is spoken, but there it is very much influenced by the Marathi language, so unless you have an internship at a Bollywood studio, you should stick to the areas above.It’s even better if you can take a language course at the same time to improve your knowledge of grammar rules and pronunciation.Take an immersion holidayThere are a number of companies that offer immersion holidays, or you can plan your own. The idea is not to stay in the tourist hotels, but somewhere you will be forced to interact with locals, going to the market, maybe even taking on a small job for a few weeks.This means that in that time you will be speaking nothing but Hindi, hearing nothing but Hindi and reading nothing but the Hindi script. The phrase: “Do you speak English?” is taboo on an immersion holiday!Immerse yourself in Indian culture by learning Hind i in India - during an immersion holiday. Photo credit: Claudio Nichele (@jihan65 on Twitter) on VisualHunt.comBecome an au-pair in IndiaIf you want to stay a bit longer, becoming an au-pair is a possibility.As an au-pair, you will live with a Hindi-speaking family and help around the house (au-pairs are often used as nannies, so getting on well with children is a plus!). In exchange, they will speak Hindi to you and you will live in India with free room and board.You will generally have a little bit of pocket money and some au-pair agencies will also offer Hindi language classes to help you with your possessive pronouns and subjunctive.Or why not try a private tutor to learn Hindi, and get support both in grammar and conversation!

How to Plan College Campus Visits

How to Plan College Campus Visits Probably one of the most critical steps of the college search, your campus visits need to be scheduled early on with plenty of time to spare. These visits are pivotal points in your decision-making process, as there is simply no better way to get a real handle on a campus than by spending some time on it. But with so much to do in the period of college application insanity, how can you possibly make sure each of these visits are scheduled appropriately and made use of in the best ways? Moreover, how do you know which campuses you need to visit? All of these questions that might be asked in a panic before quickly-approaching deadlines are more the reason to think about this important college search element well ahead of time. Dont leave yourself in a bind at the last minute; get these plans figured out now! A handful of steps are useful here: #1: Pick the schools From the very beginning, when you start compiling the list of colleges you like, put them into categories. There will be schools youre extremely excited about and genuinely want to see, there will be those that you like from what youve read about them but dont know much about first-hand, and there will be some that youve been told you should check out but have no idea what they have to offer. To take a little shortcut here, schools in all of these categories should be visited. Its up to you to identify which ones you see yourself definitely taking the time to apply to and then going from there. The point is, you have a lot to learn about each of these types of schools. The school that you love, the school that you know a little about, and the school you know nothing about, all have secrets to be uncovered and benefits from in-person experience to be had. #2: Determine application deadlines Every school has different requirements and guidance for deadlines, so make sure you get this step taken care of promptly. Youre going to want to adequately set up your visits around these important dates so you never feel pressured to rush through a tour or skip an informational interview. Additionally, spread these visits out as much as you can. Although this will sometimes be out of your control, do everything in your power to schedule them far apart from each other. You dont want two visits to blend in because they are so close together and then forget which campus had what. Or worse, you dont want to be so exhausted from the adjacent trips that you lose focus and dont pay strong enough attention to the colleges youre visiting. Try to give each of these visits their own span of time so you can take in and process their information separate from the others. Here are 4 tips to help you manage the college application process. #3: Call an admissions officer Visiting a campus blindly with no guidance as to what you should be doing or seeing is pointless; you must speak with an admissions representative before you make your trip. An integral part of their jobs is to prepare students for these visits, so make use of their valuable resources. Ask when scheduled tours are and sign up for one. Ask about possible over-night programs with current students and set one up if you are interested in learning about the college experience in that way. Ask about any other opportunities that you might not know about because that is what the admissions officers are ready to inform you of. They know all the ins and outs of campus visits and what you need to do to make the most of them. You might get to sit in on a class, get a free meal at the local dining hall, or a multitude of other interesting things that will help you feel acclimated to that colleges unique scene. You may also want to check out these tips on how to pre pare for a college visit. #4: Make a checklist In addition to the events youve signed up for and made note of from the admissions officer, jot down everything you personally want to accomplish and make sure the length of your trip accommodates all of it. More importantly, figure out if and how youre going to be able to accomplish those things. You dont want to waste a good amount of time on your visit wandering around aimlessly, looking for ways to accomplish your list item, especially if its something that it turns out cant be done. You must determine if these list items are even possible to accomplish before you go. Do you want to talk to a current student? Experience an evening at a local venue in the town? See an off-campus apartment? Tour the library? Many things will be taken care of through your campus tour, but many wont. Settle these things now. You may also want to check outthesetop questions to ask at a campus information session that you may not have thought of yet Now that youve taken in these steps, you should be ready to go. Get those visits planned and search away!

The Sumo Guide

The Sumo Guide Sumo and the Land of the Rising Sun ChaptersWhat is a Sumotori?Sumo Rules and RitualsThe Origins of SumoSumo Throughout HistoryJapanese culture is rich and varied. Those who travel to Japan can experience the customs, rituals, and delicious food.  In terms of Japanese culture, sumo is a martial art in which larger combatants wrestle as part of a sacred ritual. This is one of the most popular sports in Japan and for several centuries, its history was intertwined with that of Shintoism. If you go to Japan, you need to see what Japanese wrestling is really about!In this article, we’re looking at Japan’s ancestral sport, what it is, and where it fits in Japans rich and diverse culture. From the sumo wrestlers, known as a sumotori, to the ceremonies, you’ll learn about this popular discipline and the grand champions of it. NanaJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EllyJapanese Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MomokoJapanese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free !Discover all our tutors MelanieJapanese Teacher £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YukoJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JamesJapanese Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PippaJapanese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarikoJapanese Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat is a Sumotori?A sumotori needs to be large and capable of defeating their opponent in a gruelling fight. In Japan, the preferred term for a sumo wrestler is “rikishi”, which means “mister” and “strength”, showing their respect for the sacred combatant.Rikishi train from a young age in a heya, “stables” or “training quarters” where they also live. They’re used to eating food designed to gain weight. Most rikishi weight at least 22st but they can weigh as much as 34st, albeit while drastically reducing their life expectancy.Sumo wrestling is hugely popular in Japan. (Source: Wiki media Commons)The combatants fight barefoot in the dohyo (ring) wearing just a maetate-mitsu (codpiece) with a belt known as a mawashi. Each rikishi’s hair is styled in keeping with tradition and according to their rank. Furthermore, each rikishi has their shikona or ring name.There’s an established ranking for the rikishi from apprentice (uchi-deshi) to professionals (sekitori). However, there are ranks granted to great champions. The most important ranks are sekiwake, ozeki, and yokozuna, the grand champion.Here’s a list of some of the great yokozuna throughout history:Akashi Shiganosuke (1600-1649)Shiranui Dakuemon (1801-1854),Shiranui Kôemon (1825-1879)Jinmaku Kyûgorô (1829-1903)Kimenzan Tanigorô (1826-1871)Umegatani I Tôtarô (1845-1928)Tachiyama Mineemon (1877-1941)Tochigiyama Moriya (1892-1959)Tsunenohana Kan’ichi (1896-1960)Futabayama Sadaji (1912-1968)Tochinishiki Kiyotaka (1925-1990)Taihô Kôki (1940-2013)Wajima Hiroshi (1948-2018)Kitanoumi Toshimitsu (1953-2 015)Chiyonofuji Mitsugu (1955-2016)Takanohana Kôji (1972-)Asashôryû Akinori (1980-)Hakuhô Shô (1985-)Kisenosato Yutaka (1986-)Rikishi aren’t the most common type of athlete in Japan and there are only around 800 of them across all of Japan.Check out our article on Japanese weaponry.Sumo Rules and RitualsRikishi fight in the dohyo which represents the heavens and is 6m ². The match itself takes place in a 4m-diameter ring in the centre of the dohyo. There’s a ceiling hanging over the ring, making the arena a sanctuary and the match is dedicated to the gods. Sumo wrestling isn't just a sport, it's also a traditional ceremony and ritual. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)Before starting the fight, there are several rituals for washing the rikishi’s body and spirit. They’ll rinse their mouths with water and clean their bodies with a paper towel. To protect them from injury, they’ll purify the ring with salt.To win, the rikishi needs to push their adversary out of the ring of onto the floor of the dohyo. Only a rikishi’s feet are allowed to touch the ground. They also lose if they touch the bags of straw surrounding the combat area.In sumo, you cannot throw punches or kick above the hips, strangle, or pull hair. You cannot grab the maetate-mitsu of your opponent either. They fight by striking their opponents with an open palm, grappling, or using their weight or their opponent’s weight against them.Here are a few important sumo terms:Basho: sumo tournament.Chiri-chozu: the ritual before a fight.Danpatsu-shiki: a farewell ceremony during which a rikishi’s hair is cut by their friends.Dohyo: the area of combat.Fusenpai: when a rikishi loses for not being present for the fight.Gaijin: a foreign rikishi, generally any combatant not born in Japan.Gunbai: a wooden fan used by the referee.Gyoji: the referee.Hanamichi: the paths to the dohyo that run from east to west.Heya: the organisation and training room for the rikishi.Hiiki: the supporters.Intai: a rikishi’s retirement.Jungyo: an exhibition match outside of sumo tournaments used to recruit new rikishi and show them to the public.Keiko: a rikishi’s training in the heya.Kimarite: one of 82 official sumo techniques.Kokugi: “national sport”, the term used to talk about sumo.Kokugikan: the main sumo stadium in Tokyo and home to the National Sumo Federation.Kyokai: the National Sumo Federation, also known as the Nihon Sumo Kyokai.Maetate-mitsu: the rikishi’s codpiece.Oshi-zumo: a combat style in which body weight is used to remove the opponent from the ring.Oze i: the grand champion after the yokuzuna and before the sekiwake.Rikishi: sumo wrestler.Sekiwake: the grand champion after the ozeki.Shingitai: the three principles of sumo, heart, body, and technique.Tachiai: the start of a match.Tsuppari: slapping the body or face with an open palm.Yokozuna: the grand champion. A title held until death.Yusho: the winner of a sumo tournament.Zensho-yusho: a tournament won without any defeats.There are 6 main sumo tournaments each year: 3 in Tokyo, 1 in Osaka, 1 in Nagoya, and 1 in Fukuoka. Each rikishi fights once per day for 15 days and the combatant with the best win/loss ratio is the champion. At the end of the tournament, the rikishi receives the emperor’s trophy.The Origins of SumoThe history of sumo is intertwined with Japanese history: the first mention of sumo wrestling can be found in the Kojiki, a chronicle of Japanese history dating back to 712. According to legend, a sumo match decided who controlled the Japanese islands. Sumo wrestling originated as a battle of the gods. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)The gods Takemikazuchi and Takeminakata fought on the Shimane beach. Outside of legend, it’s difficult to say exactly when sumo wrestling arose in Japan. It seems that sumo wrestling was used as an agricultural ritual to bring about a good harvest. There were no illegal blows and these fights were to the death.  In the Nihon Shoki, sumo was said to have begun between mortals around 23BCE. The first winner, Sukune, is said to be the father of sumo.Interested in Japanese culture?Find out more about geishas.Sumo Throughout HistoryDuring the Nara Period (8th century), sumo wrestling was introduced to the imperial court and an annual festival was organised. There were several festivals in the Imperial Palace of Emperor Shomu. Thus, sumo was no longer an agricultural ritual but a ritual for peace and prosperity. Sumo wrestling's history dates back over 1,500 years! (Source: Wikimedia Commons)Sumo became a martial art during the reign of Emperor Saga (9th century) and the warrior class practised the sport from the 12th century. Several great Japanese military chiefs were fans of sumo including Minamoto no Yoritomo and Nobunaga Oda.During the 17th century, the rikishi started becoming professionals and entertainers for the Japanese elite. This is also when the first rings surrounded by bags of straw. They started burying them during the 18th century.During the Edo Period, the great daimyos became the sponsors for sumos grand champions. In addition to a salary, the rikishi also earnt the title of samurai.Modern sumo wrestling was developed during the Edo Period: the Kanjin-zumo was used to raise funds for buildings, sanctuaries, repairing temples, bridges, and other public works.The official ranking system was also introduced during the Edo Period. Official organisations were formed and merged during the 20th century, leading to the modern Sumo Kyokai.Now you know a bit more about Japanese culture and the national sport. If you want to learn even more, consider reading our other articles on Japan or getting Japanese language lessons from a private tutor on Superprof!There are three distinct types of private tutorial on offer for Japanese students: face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials. Each type is different in terms of learning styles and cost, so what may be right for one student may not be right for another.Face-to-face tutorials involve just a single student and tutor and will include a bespoke programme or course that's being taught to the student. You will be getting a tailored service which is very cost-effective!Online tutorials also involve one student with a tutor but the two aren't physically in the same place. Thanks to the internet, you can be taught Japanese online via webcam. With fewer travel costs and the ability to schedule more t utorials each week, the tutor doesn't need to charge as much for their tutorials.Group tutorials are more like the classes you would've had in school with one teacher and multiple students. With each student footing the bill, the cost per student per hour tends to be less than the other two types of tutorial.  Don't forget that a lot of tutors on Superprof offer the first hour of tuition for free, too!