Monday, March 30, 2020

Getting a Scholarship For College Using Chase Ink Plus

Getting a Scholarship For College Using Chase Ink PlusIn this article, I'll share with you the best way to learn how to get a scholarship for college, using Chase Ink Plus Tutoring. Here are some of the features that make this program so different from other tutoring programs out there.Having worked in the education field for a number of years, I was attracted to the idea of helping high school students from all over the country. The curriculum and materials needed to effectively teach young minds are very different than what a teacher who has been doing it for several years would use. This program comes with some specific and often times strict rules.Some programs only allow students to use certain materials, making them difficult to get your hands on. This program has a strong set of policies that cover both the material and the way the student is taught. Students are not locked into one form of curriculum, so they can explore all of the educational avenues available.There are also online tutorials for all of the interactive software used within the program. Students have the ability to access these tutorials anytime they want, rather than needing to wait for a tutor to come in and do it for them. This makes the process of learning extremely flexible. Students can take advantage of the tutoring time whenever they need it, rather than having to wait for a tutor to appear on their schedule.The materials used for the course are written in easy to understand language, with color illustrations as well as the material itself. These visual aids to help students learn at a much quicker rate. Also, the material is often broken down into smaller chunks for easier understanding. This type of teaching can be a challenge for some teachers.As a tutor for Chase Ink Plus, I was able to learn the material at my own pace. That's something that makes this program so valuable to students. They can work at their own pace and still receive valuable tutoring.In addition to learning how to get a scholarship for college using Chase Ink Plus, I was also able to learn how to utilize educational resources in my own life. This is one of the most common questions in today's classroom: 'How can I learn more?' With a clear path to success in life, students can use this program to learn about just that.Learning how to get a scholarship for college for high school students has never been easier. That's thanks to Chase Ink Plus.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Split It Up The Top Technique for Learning Vocabulary in Another Language

Split It Up The Top Technique for Learning Vocabulary in Another Language Split It Up: The Top Technique for Learning Vocabulary in Another Language Youve come here because youre thinking: Why the %#@! cant I learn foreign vocabulary?Welcome.Let me ask you a few questions before we proceed.Is your brain all  muddled up with huge lists of words but unable to  deploy the proper vocabulary in conversation?Have you  tried memorizing words with flashcard apps, only to find that you cant fit these isolated words into full-on sentences?In this situation, well always end up blaming ourselves and our own bad memories. Other people, we think, are good at memorizing wordsâ€"but we just dont have the ability to learn vocabulary.Theres also a chance well pass the blame on to our flashcard apps and waste precious time testing all the available options,  instead of spending that  time learning our target languages.Lets put the blame game to rest and figure out whats really going on hereâ€"whats so hard about learning vocabulary in another language? Why Your Brain Forgets Isolated Foreign VocabularyThe real problem has nothing to do with some genetic ability. The real problem is that youre too trusting.You believe the common wisdom that learning vocabulary is as simple as learning loads of words. It isnt.Your brain has not developed to remember isolated words. Neuroscience has found that our working memory has developed to remember short patterns of no more than four items at a time. Thats only one more thing than a monkey can hold in its memory.It doesnt matter how many individual words you memorize. Without fitting the words into patterns, your brain will have trouble retrieving them in the heat of the moment.The Solution:  Hack Your Brain with ChunkingThankfully, science has also come up with a foolproof way to harness our brains natural abilities: Chunking.With chunking, you find self-contained groups of words and learn them as one unit.Simply put, chunking is learning phrases.You mean by using  phrasebooks? I hear you asking.Well, almost.Lets use an example to demonstrate chunking. Ill take the following phrase from  this list of advanced Spanish phrases: ¿Qué pelicula te gustaba mucho cuando eras niño/a?  â€" What film did you love as a kid?This is a pretty long phrase, which contains far more words than the three or four items needed for a chunk. You dont want your chunk to be too long and complicated, either.Its actually made up of a few chunks. For example, two of these could be:Te gustaba mucho  â€" You really liked/loved Cuando eras niño/a  â€" When you were a boy/girlThese phrases both sound natural, and are extremely versatile. Now you have two proper phrases that you can mix and match with others to form new sentences.Sometimes, chunks dont make sense when you try to analyze the words separately. For example, take  this French phrase:Ça te dit?  â€" You up for it? or Sound good?These words literally mean something like It tells you? This is pretty nonsensical, but as a casually-used  phrase  the words come together to make complete sense.Split It Up: The Top Technique for Learning Vocabulary in Another LanguageLearning through chunking is as simple as one, two, five but it can take a bit of getting used to. You have to retrain yourself not to just look things  up in a foreign dictionary, learn the isolated word and then leave it at that. You need to get into the practice of combining the words into little phrases.Here are four steps to help you, plus a great shortcut in Step 5.1. Gather Your VocabularyThe first step to use chunking is to list all the words you want to learn. So, grab a piece of paper or a blank document and list down all the words you need to memorize.Havent got any specific foreign vocabulary you need to learn? You can skip this step and go straight to the phrase-finding.2. Find Some Great PhrasesNext, you should find some phrases that use those words. If you can double up words into one phrase, then youll reduce the amount you have to memorize. Thats not necessary thoughâ€"its fine if you cant fit the words on your list together. The main goal is to find a phrase for each word on the list.Where to Find Great Foreign PhrasesHere are four places to find useful, correct foreign phrases. Dont rely on automatic translators, which might produce badly worded phrases.Also, focus on finding phrases made up of useful chunks, not sentences that will only make sense in one situation.PhrasebooksThe good old fashioned phrasebook can be a good starting place. However, before buying one, make sure that its of full sentences, not just word lists. Its surprising that many modern phrasebooks are filled mostly with isolated lists of words.One excellent option that never fails is Lonely Planet. The phrasebooks put out by Lonely Planet go way beyond a handful of words.Online Phrase ListsThe modern version is the online phrase list. These are easy to search and there are more being written on blogs every day.FluentU already has many lists of useful phrases on the Chinese, Spanish, French, German, Japanese,  English  and Business English bl ogs.Books and Other Learning MaterialWhen youre reading in another language, list those words that you dont know. This is part of the intensive reading strategies that you should definitely be using to boost your language learning.Be sure to copy out a  whole chunk from the text, not just one  word alone.As an example, heres a sentence from a random book in English, The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens:At these words he fell into a reverie, in which he thought of several things.The word to learn,  reverie,  means a state of being pleasantly lost in ones thoughts; a daydream. Its not a very common word, so it could be hard to rememberBut the chunk we can use is fell into a reverie.  This chunk means something like started daydreaming. Keeping these words together will be easier for us to remember than just trying to learn the word alone.Firstly, you can learn the whole phrase at these words he fell into a reverie.  Then, when youve really learned it, try shaking it up by fol lowing Step 4 below.VideosVideos are a great place to find vocabulary in context, with the added bonus that they already include the correct pronunciation.YouTube, along with other online services, are full of videos where you can find useful phrases. Many of them also have subtitles or closed captions which allow you to see the phrase written down.However, for a shortcut, FluentU provides a completely self-contained vocabulary learning system, which uses chunking and includes subtitles. The most useful videos are already chosen for you, meaning you can spend less time sentence mining and more time learning.Jump to the bonus Step 5 at the end of this post to find out more about FluentU.3. Learn the Phrases by HeartOnce youve gathered some phrases, you need to learn them all  by heart. You can do this the same way you used to learn individual words. For example, you can:1. Play recordings of the phrase and repeat it back until you can say it properly (try Google Translates Listen but ton  if you have no recording of the phrase). Then, record yourself and compare with the original.2. Put the whole phrase into your favorite flashcard app and learn it in the usual way.3.  Use mnemonics to fix the chunk into your brain.4. Write down the phrase from memory and compare it to the original phrase.There are many ways to remember phrases which are really quick and effective.4. Shake It Up to Avoid Over-reliance on ScriptsLearning specific phrases by heart is fine, but it can mean that youll become overly reliant on scripts. If youre memorizing those scripts, you might not be able to change them up in conversation. You want your phrases to be flexible.The real power of chunking is that you can reuse the same chunk in many different phrases.So, taking our example of the chunk fell into a reverie  from the last step. The original phrase at these words he fell into a reverie might not be very useful in most situations. But here are some other possible phrases you can use this chunk in:We were chatting, then suddenly she stopped talking and fell into a reverie.After watching the film I fell into a reverie  for ages, it really made me think.My grandpa used to fall into a reverie every time we  talked about the war.If appropriate, use the chunk often in conversation and when talking to yourselfâ€"try to say it out loud 10 times in a day and see how effective it is.Changing the chunkSome chunks are self-contained and only make sense as a unit. However, many words can be applied to lots of chunks. When youve learned your first chunk, you might want to apply the same word to a new chunk.For our word reverie, we could use the following chunks:When writing his sermon, the priest drifted in and out of reverie.My five-year-old broke out of her reverie and asked a difficult question.He tried to rouse her from her reverie.I found these chunks by searching for terms like a reverie,  her reverie,  into reverie,  out of reverie,  etc. (with the quotation marks include d) in  Google Book Search  and  Google News Search, which are multilingual resources.5. See Chunking in Action in Under 2 Minutes with FluentUStill not convinced that learning phrases in context is the best way to learn new words?Sign up for a free account with FluentU to see it in action. Simply go to the homepage and click the Sign Up For Free  button.FluentU takes videos from all around the web in your target language. With dynamic subtitles, it teaches you loads of new vocabulary using a few methods. As well as learning the individual meanings of words, it takes phrases directly from the video and applies the vocabulary to meaningful chunks, ensuring that you can use the vocabulary in context.So, sign up now and check it out. Its free and is a great demonstration of how chunking in practice is an easy, quick and lasting way to learn foreign vocabulary.Learning vocabulary in another language doesnt seem so scary anymore, does it? With these five simple steps, you can learn new wo rds in your target language and take your language-learning journey by storm!Alex Owen-Hill is a European freelance writer. He writes about science, travel, voice-use, language and any of the hundred other things hes passionate about. Check out his website at www.AlexOwenHill.co.uk. Any questions? Connect with him on Twitter at @AlexOwenHill  and ask away!

Private Irvine Tutor Tips 4 Signs Its Time to Study Solo

Private Irvine Tutor Tips 4 Signs Its Time to Study Solo Tips from a Private Irvine Tutor: 4 Signs Its Time to Study Solo Studying in a group environment is a great way to tackle complex assignments and break up larger tasks into the smaller parts. Studying in a group can also help college students get to know people in their major field of study and benefit from highly motivated classmates. However, there are some cases were studying in a group isnt always for the best. Perhaps the members of the group are not interested in earning an A in the course or maybe the group is becoming disorganized. If a student’s ability to perform starts to fall by the wayside, its a good idea to think about when its beneficial to study in a group and when its time to study solo. 1. Your Homework is Taking Longer than it Should If it takes 45 minutes to finish a math assignment solo but it takes well over an hour in a study group, then it may be best for the student to work on that subject by themselves. If each assignment takes an additional 15 to 30 minutes because of time lost to socializing or gossip, the student will end up studying several more hours every week. This can become a major issue in the long run so its a good idea for students to think about which subject they need help with and which ones they can simply do on their own and then move on to something else. 2. You Receive Lower Grades A sure-fire sign that its time to study without a group is when a students grades start to slip. If someone has been an A student in English since kindergarten, they shouldn’t all of a sudden be getting a C+. Although study groups can be very helpful in general, sometimes theres a lot of chatting and distractions, and there might be members of the group who have different goals. For example, perhaps one student would be thrilled to get a B- but another is expecting an A+. If grades are consistently lower once students started studying with a group, its a good idea for them to finish those assignments on their own and save socializing for when homework is complete (READ: 7 Tips for Studying While Traveling). 3. Your Study Session is More Social Than Productive One of the biggest downsides of working within a group is the temptation to socialize over work. Socialization can be very helpful and keep students positive during tough assignments. However, too much socialization can make assignments more difficult than they have to be and waste a bunch of time. Socializing is an important part of the college experience, but it shouldnt take away from academic success. 4. Your Study Group is Not Invested in Success When forming a study group, its essential that each member is invested in doing well. Its fine for students to have different overall goals or varying abilities in different subjects. In fact, it can be great to have members of the group who can help out with one topic but need help in another; this is a major benefit of group study. On the other hand, if some members of the group are not invested in their success as a student, theyre probably not invested in the success of their peers. If working with a group is taking a student away from their educational ambitions it might be a good idea to do important assignments solo. Another option would be for students to work with a study partner who shares very similar goals or to check in with a tutor from time to time and get help when necessary (READ: Year-round school: How to enjoy summer). Study group not working out? Score higher on your tests with private Irvine tutoring from TutorNerds. Call us today for more information. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

UTD Teaching Professors Offer Numerous Courses

UTD Teaching Professors Offer Numerous CoursesThe Economics Department offers a wide range of programs and online teaching opportunities for those with a true love for the subject. Whether you have experience in the field or are just trying to get better, this course is a good place to start.UT Dallas offers a number of tutoring opportunities that can be a good way to get hands-on experience for those who would like to pursue a PhD. UTD has many online departments such as The School of Business, The College of Management, The School of Nursing, The School of Pharmacy, and The College of Science & Engineering. All of these departments offer excellent education and experience in the field.In addition to all of the above, the Economics Department has other excellent options for students who would like to earn their master's degree in the field. There are many universities in the United States offering masters degrees in economics, but UTD has one of the most distinguished department s. It offers classes on general economic theory, micro and macroeconomics, financial economics, public finance, and production economics.Students who would like to obtain a master's degree in economics can choose from a number of different master's degree programs offered by UTD. These include economics, management, and international economics, as well as Ph.D. The Master of Science in Economics is an important step toward getting a PhD in economics.Students should consider UTD as a destination university if they wish to obtain a doctorate in economics. They will find a large number of PhD program options available. Students may choose from graduate programs in business, finance, and management. Those students interested in medical school should consider studying at UTD as well.Many students pursuing a PhD in economics will often attend graduate school in another city. This is where they will find that their interests are met in UTD. Many students choose to go to graduate school in either Chicago or New York. Regardless of where they choose to go, they will find that the economics department offers unique learning experiences that help them to obtain a master's degree.Students considering earning a PhD at UTD will find that it is a wonderful option for those who want to combine their teaching responsibilities with the research process. They will learn more about what is going on in the field while studying economics. Economics is a very dynamic field and knowing the latest research findings in economics will be of great value to anyone seeking a career in the field.

Ranks Among Other Services That Can Make A Great Tutoring Center

Ranks Among Other Services That Can Make A Great Tutoring CenterSetting up a tutoring center is an excellent choice when you want to reach out to a specific group of students. It can also be beneficial for your business, education, etc. And if you are serious about learning about the features of a tutoring center, you can read on and find out what they have to offer.Sony offers a wide range of tutoring solutions, including many that are specifically targeted to children. This offers some innovative and unique learning opportunities for the children. From their infancy, children are at a disadvantage. In order to overcome this disadvantage, Sony offers solutions that can make learning more engaging and fun for children.The Sankei is a Japanese publishing company. The Sankei publishes book titles that are related to science, technology, and mathematics. This company offers tutoring centers for children in all stages of development. These centers are very successful because the children of students studying at these centers do not really need to learn independently.An individual who wishes to get into a new line of work may not feel comfortable approaching an established teacher for help. Also, there might be a lack of confidence in asking for help. In order to bridge this gap, there are tutoring centers that have trained teachers. Also, these teachers are trained to meet the needs of students.Although there are advantages to be had from setting up a tutoring center, it can have some negative aspects as well. The problem with doing this is that children can easily get bored if they are constantly under instruction. If you set up a center with limited resources, it can easily be a situation where there is a lack of interaction between children and their teachers.Offering a service that is both fun and educational can help create and strengthen relationships between children and their teachers. It can also help build good communication skills in the classroom. Both parents and teachers can enjoy these benefits as they help them achieve.Before deciding on whether or not to set up a tutoring center, it is important to get in-depth research done on the area. There are certain features that are not advertised by the tutoring centers that will help in knowing whether or not it is right for you. To get more information, you can visit the site below.

A Student Perspective on the University of California, Los Angeles

A Student Perspective on the University of California, Los Angeles Devin earned her bachelors degree in environmental science from the University of California, Los Angeles. She specializes in Algebra 2 tutoring, earth science tutoring, and a number of other subjects. Below, she shares her experience at the University of California, Los Angeles: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Devin: The campus is very busy and crowded. The majority of people walk to class, since most housing is within walking distance. The campus is not very bike friendly due to a lot of hills. I didnt have a car during my four years there, because parking is expensive and there is public transportation if needed. Everything you need is within walking distance, including grocery stores, restaurants, doctor's offices, and clothing stores. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Devin:It truly depends on the professor. Some professors make an effort to be accessible and some do not. Teaching assistants and academic advisers are always accessible. Most professors, teaching assistants, and academic advisers, however, dont seek out students. If a student needs help, they have to make the effort to reach out to the professors, advisers, and assistants. How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Devin:Almost all students live on campus their first year, and many live on campus for more than one year. Theres now available housing for students for all four years if desired. The rooms are very small, but living in the dorms the first year is a lot of fun. There are different types of dorms, and some are more social than others. All students that live in the dorms are required to have a meal plan, and the dining halls are amazing. There are five dining halls and a few restaurants that the meal plan works with. Many students involved in Greek life also live in their fraternity or sorority housing. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Devin:Since UCLA is a research university, the sciences are best represented, but many other majors are also great. I studied environmental science and minored in environmental engineering. The environmental science major is part of the Institute of Environment and Sustainability at UCLA and is a very well-rounded field of study. The major focuses on the environment, public leadership, geography, sustainable development, and much more. I had many friends who majored in the social sciencesincluding political science, communications, and economicsand enjoyed their classes. How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Devin:There are about 6,000 students per undergrad class and many opportunities to meet others. There are tons of clubs and social outings for freshmen to meet classmates. Greek life has about 1,200 undergrads and is a great way to meet people, however it doesnt play a significant role in the campus social life. I was in a sorority and loved it. Many of my friends were in Greek life and I would encourage any incoming freshmen to try recruitment if they have an interest in it. There were many opportunities to volunteer for local charities, as well. Many people associated with Greek life live in Greek housing. The sorority houses are beautiful, and living in the house is the most affordable option at UCLA. How helpful arethe Career Centerand other student support services? Devin:Since UCLA is a public school and has a large amount of undergraduate students, many students will wish to seek support services, similar to the academic counselors. Many employers recruit at UCLA for entry level positions. There are also many student alumni events and career fairs for networking. How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Devin:There are multiple libraries on campus that are easily accessible. There are also many cafes and dorm lounges for studying. During finals week there is a 24-hour silence rule in the dorms. Students and employees take academics and studying very seriously at UCLA. UCLA is on the quarter system (10-week quarters), so theres always a test or quiz to study for. Its a very fast-paced system and students need to be organized and focused to succeed. Its difficult to stay on top of the workload, but manageable if the student is motivated. Describe the surrounding town. Devin:UCLA is in an amazing part of Los Angeles. The university is surrounded by some of the nicest neighborhoods in LA, including Bel Air, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, and Santa Monica. UCLA is a bus ride away from the most iconic spots in Los Angeles, including Santa Monica beach, Rodeo Drive, Hollywood, and the Venice Boardwalk. Los Angeles is an amazing city with lots of opportunities. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Devin:The student body is huge. As a freshman, youll have some classes with as many as 300 students. By senior year, however, some classes will have less than 10students. If a student is seeking a one-on-one experience with a professor, UCLA may not be a perfect fit, but, I was never overwhelmed by the large student body. A large student body creates a great spirit on campus and an everlasting pride amongst the students. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Devin:My favorite class was at the end of my junior year. It was a mixture of undergrad and graduate students and there were only about eight students in it. It was an environmental health safety class focusing on fate transport, and the professor was great. I learned so much in that class and I realized that I was passionate about environmental health. I felt like I knew my professor personally. My professor believed in me, which encouraged and motivated me to work hard and learn as much as I could. Check out Devins tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Oliver Twist

Oliver Twist The Underside of Life: Oliver! ChaptersSynopsis of Oliver!Differences from the Original TaleOdditiesProduction HistoryAwards and RecognitionGenerally, when one goes to the theatre, it is in expectation of a good time, perhaps a few laughs and certainly some fantastic singing, all conditioned on a happy tale.Oliver! is a show of a different tone.Based on the Charles Dickens tale of an orphaned boy in 19th Century London, the stage show does not shy away from the harshness of life, abusive relationships or pickpocketing on the streets of London.Still, it has wowed audiences in the UK and internationally, so much so that, since its opening night at London’s West End in 1960, it has enjoyed several revivals. It was even adapted to film!Today, your Superprof takes a break from all of the giddy, feel-good shows that have graced the stage to review a tragic story that reflects perhaps the worst of humanity.Keep those tissues handy; you may shed some tears! TraceySinging Teacher 4.92 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PortiaSinging Teacher 4.91 (11) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolaSinging Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JazzSinging Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PerrineSinging Teacher 5.00 (3) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TiemSinging Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomSinging Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MiriamSinging Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsSynopsis of Oliver! Clive Revel was a most excellent Fagin in the musical Oliver! Source: Wikipedia Credit: Harvey SabinsonDay’s end at the workhouse; the story opens on streams of starving, dishevelled boys. Served only a thin gruel and knowing that is all the food there will be, they dream about glorious food as they slurp every last drop from their bowls.Oliver has the temerity to ask for more. Instead of a second serving of mean food, he is told to gather his meagre possessions. Mr Bumble then sells him to the local undertaker, ostensibly to be apprenticed.Waking from an uncertain night spent in a coffin, Oliver has no chance to acquaint himself with the household before another apprentice insults his late mother. As Oliver takes him to task, the undertaker’s wife and daughter arrive on-scene.Repulsed by this urchin’s violence, they intend to return him to the workhouse but, in the confusion, Oliver gets away. Thus begins his life on the streets.He falls in with a gang of petty criminals; soon , he too begins a life of crime but, when Dodger and Bates leave him holding the bag after picking a wealthy man’s pocket, it’s up to Fagin and Bill to bring him home.Coincidence can be a strange beast: the wealthy old man that the Dodger had robbed was the grandfather Oliver did not know he had and did not know had been searching for him.With greed aplenty, the workhouse keepers respond to a newspaper ad advertising a reward for any knowledge of Oliver’s whereabouts.Mr Brownlow, the wealthy old man who is Oliver’s kin, questions their motives â€" clearly, they have no interest in the boy’s welfare, only the promised reward. Disgusted, he throws them out.Nancy, the long-suffering wife of gang-leader Bill Sikes, regrets her life lived wrong. She has grown to care deeply about Oliver and, seeing a chance for him to escape a poor life, approaches the wealthy old man herself.They agree to meet on London Bridge so she can bring him his grandson but her abusive husband suspects her of something…He follows Nancy and Oliver and, when the time is just right, he clubs her to death and runs away with the boy. Oliver’s grandfather, so close to meeting the only family member he has left, is shocked to instead discover Nancy’s lifeless form.Soon, Bill appears at the top of London Bridge with Oliver, proclaiming to the crowd below that he will murder the child. The police, sneaking up on Bill, shoot him dead and return Oliver to his grandfather.By no means is this an uplifting story like The Lion King.Differences from the Original TalePresumably set in Victorian England, the story actually takes place a few years before Queen Victoria ascends to the throne, during King William IV’s reign.One could never accuse Charles Dickens of penning lighthearted fairy tales with happy endings; even the enormously popular A Christmas Carol wraps fundamental human goodness in a blanket of often cruel reality.However, unlike other popular musicals, Oliver! is not uplifting ; there is no sense of triumph over adversity.His tales tend toward the elaborate; for that reason, musical author Lionel Bart opted to leave many sub-plots out. For instance, Mr Monks, so vital to the story’s final twist (no pun intended) does not feature in the show at all.His villainous acts were added to Bill Sikes’ and Fagin’s, making the original character superfluous. Mrs Mann, Rose Maylie and Harry don’t feature in the musical, either.The Dickens novel that this show derives from has been seen as antisemitic because of the handling of ‘the Jew Fagin’ â€" portraying him as evil and sneaky.Lionel Bart, who wrote the music and lyrics for the show, gave that central character more of a comedic turn, making him more sympathetic. That may also be why, contrary to the book’s ending in which Fagin is hanged, the show sees him contemplating turning his life around.Likewise, the Artful Dodger, a fairly active character throughout the book and in the first part of the sho w, rather fades from view in the second act… unlike the novel, where he is sent abroad to a penal colony.The idea of Bill using Oliver as a hostage is not a part of the original story; it came from the 1948 film directed by David Lean.In the book, Mr Brownlow is not Oliver’s grandfather; rather, there is a tenuous connection between him and the boy’s father that filters through nearly the entire cast before the boy and his benefactor are brought together.A similar situation plays out in Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables and is likewise omitted from the stage show. The boys of the orphanage sing Food, Glorious Food as their opening number in Oliver! Source: Wikipedia Credit: from the Broadway playbillLionel Bart composed the magnificent score entirely in his head. He did not know how to write music so he hummed the entire show to a piano player who wrote it for him and also  arranged the orchestrations.In the original London show as well as on Broadway, Davy Jones played the Artful Dodger. He was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical but gained fame only later, as a Monkee.Steve Marriott and Phil Collins also took turns at playing Dodger!Georgia Brown (Nancy), Ron Moody (Fagin) and others averred that there was plenty of friction during the show’s original run; many of the cast members simply did not get along.In a strange twist, Mr Bart was compelled to sell all rights to Oliver!, present and future, because he had fallen on hard times. He only gained £350 from the sale. The buyer later sold those rights for £250,000!When the show arrived in America, complete with already-painted sets and brickwork, the American set designers were distressed at their garishness. With just hours to go before showtime, the painters were still hard at work, revamping the scene.They continued working through the performance and even took a bow with the cast at the end of the show. Reviews favoured the ‘London painters’ but subsequent critics wondered why they had been cut from the show.Join the discussion: should Hamilton be considered a break from traditional musical fare because some of its songs are rapped rather than sung?Production HistoryOliver Twist by Charles Dickens was published as a serial novel in a monthly magazine; it took 26 months for the entire story to see the light.In a sense, you could say the stage production mirrored the original story’s publication.It opened in London in June 1960, running for more than 2,600 performances. It was choreographed by Malcolm Clare and directed by Peter Coe. Costu mes and scenery were designed by Sean Kenny.Before playing on Broadway in the US, the show opened in Los Angeles to generally favourable reviews. When it finally made it to Broadway, it only ran for 774 performances. Some of the London cast, Davy Jones among them, featured in the Broadway show.And then, a year after the Broadway show closed it enjoyed a revival â€" 64 additional performances.London’s revival of this Dickensian adaptation came nearly 20 years after the original show’s run but made use of the original sets, which were still intact. In 1983, it was revived in London yet again over the Christmas season, after which it moved back to Broadway.International adaptations a Dutch version and a Japanese one; it met with particular success on Australian stages, too.Today, Oliver! Is often performed in schools across the UK; indeed it has become a favourite of the school musical genre.Furthermore, the story was made into a film in 1968 and, unlike other works of Charles Dick ens, it is the musical rather than the original tale of that was produced.The Phantom of the Opera met with the same situation: the musical rather than the original story was made into a film. Oliver and his gang of thieves revived at the Drury Lane Theatre Royal in 2009 Source: Wikipedia Credit: Expressing YourselfAwards and RecognitionPlenty of Dickens novels have been made into shows and films but none received quite the accolades that this terrible tale of orphans and pickpockets has.From the table below, you can see that whipping a starved orphan and committing burglary is apparently not that repugnant when told through the magic of musical theatre.And let’s not forget the abuse heaped on Nancy!Oliver Twist was Dickens second novel and, like his other works, a brutally honest look at life in pre-Victorian England but, unlike in The Pickwick Papers, humorous elements fail to appear in Oliver Twist.Unlike the musical Chicago, so outrageous a show that one can't help but laugh!We should credit Lionel Bart for eliminating some of the more grotesque and pathetic elements â€" not sending Fagin to the gallows, for instance.He leaves in just enough to make the story both cr edible and enduring; the hallmark of an excellent show.Just see for yourself!Table of Awards for Oliver!Year and LocationAwardCategoryResultLondon Revival 1994 1997Lawrence Olivier AwardBest revival Best director Best Actor Best Actressnominated nominated nominated wonLondon Revival, 2009Lawrence Olivier AwardBest revival Best actor Best Choreographernominated nominated nominatedLondon Revival, 2009What's Onstage AwardsBest revival Best actor Best supporting actor Best supporting actress Best takeover of a rolewon won nominated won nominatedOriginal Broadway ProductionTony AwardBest musical Best leading actor Best leading actress Best featured actor Best original score Best producer Best director Best conductor Best scene designnominated nominated nominated nominated won nominated nominated won wonBroadway revival, 1984Tony AwardBest Lead ActornominatedNow discover the magic of Cats, Andrew Lloyd Webber's masterpiece...