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  What would it be like if you never forgot something important again? There are basically two types of memory acquisition. One is by repetition, which is a rather commonly used method. The second is by association, where we remember new information by linking it to what we already know. Our memory for words can be modeled as a network in which each point represents a different word, with each linked to words that relate to it. Psychologist Tom Griffiths and his colleagues at the University of California, Berkeley, wondered whether the ease with which the brain retrieves words is similar to the way that websites are ranked by Google: by the number of sites that link to them. The test results suggested that human memory could be improved by examining the tricks that search engines employ, and vice versa, says Griffiths. (Psychological Science, vol 18, p 1069). Thus, memory is the web of knowledge residing in one's head. To memorize new words we must create more associations and pictures that help us remember. This is known as memory by association and this method is well presented by Tony Buzan in his Mind-mapping. We can create connections by using linkages, mental pictures, images, colors, sounds, emotions, and associations. We can use mind-mapping or create a story with new words and phrases. We can link new words to different phrases, pictures, stories and associations. By creating more associations it is easier for your brain to absorb the new information and it is easier for you to memorize these words and phrases. Mind map is extremely powerful thinking tool which reflects externally what is going on in your brain. Mind maps help you to learn thousands of words and phrases much more easily than traditional methods and this for two main reasons. Mind maps provide the structure for learning by grouping related concepts together. And this mirrors the way your brain stores the new information. Secondly, mind maps are visual and the research shows that the use of images and color helps you recall all information, especially languages. In The Most Important Graph in the World Tony Buzan reveals how even a simple understanding of memory and its improvement can instantly and dramatically change your life - helping you both remember and be remembered. You will discover the fundamental principles of memory and how you can use them to develop your creativity and intelligence, deliver presentations and speeches with real impact, resolve conflict, make your marketing resonate, raise your social and emotional IQ, maximise your time, and create a more meaningful, memorable life. Learn how to:
Online Courses To Avoid Adult Language Learners' Drop Out  Research results obtained from the survey covering 26 language schools who provide Estonian language courses for new immigrants in Estonia revealed that the drop-out rate reaches up to 30 percent of the participants. ImmiSoft Ltd together with the Integration Research Institute decided to develop a special Estonian language e-course and several other e-learning materials that would better cater to the needs of adult English-speaking newcomers in Estonia, eliminating the common drop-out reasons. Our experience from previous adaptation courses has revealed that new immigrants are in difficulty in finding suitable language courses that would correspond to their needs. Although the adaptation program for new immigrants in Estonia has been implemented since 2009, it has not solved the problem. Research results obtained from the survey covering 26 language schools who provide Estonian language courses for new immigrants in Estonia (conducted by Mart Rannut and Ulle Rannut in 2009) revealed that the drop-out rate reaches up to 30 percent of the participants. Main drop-out reasons (42%) affecting attendance concerned changes in employment: losing or finding a job, change of workplace or of work shifts, extensive business travel, etc. 8 percent of drop-out cases were caused by moving to another place and 5% due to family reasons. In the case of free language courses financial reasons for drop-out vanish, however, factors connected to low learning motivation become much more important (17% of drop-out cases), as participants regard the course requirements too high, the course too intensive and difficult. Ironically, language school managers were on the opinion that the drop-out might be even more extensive in this case, reaching a quarter from the total number of starters. Though the reasons (employment, family, etc.) for missing classes were allegedly the same for all courses, however, the motivation in catching up one’s co-learners among those attending free course was much lower than among those who had paid for it, resulting in drop-out.
E-courses enable to overcome constraints limiting newcomers' adaptation and integration in Estonia, make adaptation and language learning programs permanent and financially accessible. As e-courses are available in Internet, participants can visit each lesson whenever it is suitable for them and as many times as they need, thus, they cannot miss the class any more. They bring learning activities and personal tutoring to all participants 24/7 wherever they are, which eliminates most of the drop out reasons. Learners can decide what topics to choose and when is the best time to learn for them which should increase motivation. The other beneficial aspect is the affordable price as it makes the whole language learning process much cheaper for learners. Read more by visiting these websites! http://www.integrationresearch.net/immisoft-e-courses.html and http://www.integrationresearch.net/adaptation-course.html
Ulle Rannut, Ph.D Integration Research Institute  At the end of 2006, according to official national statistics Eurostat services are provided in many European countries including Estonia. However, research reveals that in spite of the availability of the adaptation programs, new immigrants often fail to adapt to the new society and prefer to live in segregation. The study conducted in the Berlin Institute for Population and Development (2009) found that Turks in particular, the second largest group of immigrants after ethnic Germans from Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, are faring badly, even after decades of living in Germany. It shows that foreigners who come to live in Germany tend to remain strangers, even after 50 years and thestimates that the total number of non-nationals living in the EU Member States was 29 million, representing 5.8 % of the total EU population. More than half of these were citizens of non-EU countries. According to integration laws of many European countries, all refugees and immigrants, as well as their family members have to participate in some kind of adaptation program, one of the components being language training. The development and application of adaptation programmes and supporting services are provided in many European countries including Estonia. However, research reveals that in spite of the availability of these programmes, new immigrants often fail to adapt to the new society and prefer to live in segregation. Immigrants claim that strong ties with the local ethnic community provide support and assistance during the first days in a variety of ways and ease adaptation, however, in a long run these strong ties become an obstacle for social adaptation and mobility (Rannut 2005, 2009; Menjivar 1997). Adaptation Course for New Immigrants in Estonia
This is confirmed also by my own research results among immigrant children (2005) and my observations among adult immigrants during the piloting of the adaptation course in Estonia (Rannut, 2009). Immigrants with low anxiety level didn’t afraid to make mistakes, communicated more often and developed more quickly social skills needed for effective communication. New immigrants with low self-confidence and higher anxiety level were less successful in language acquisition and in making new contacts, thus, they preferred to surround themselves with people from their own nationality or language group. Our self-esteem consists of positive and negative feelings we have about ourselves. An increase in our self-esteem will produce a decrease in our anxiety which leads to more effective communication and social mobility which yealding in more social contacts, better job opportunities and higher social mobility. Adaptation Course for New Immigrants in Estonia Secrets of Successful People - Opportunities vs Luck  The great oil billionaire, H. L. Hunt, was once asked his secret of success. He replied that success required two things, and two things only. First, he said, you must know exactly what it is you want. Most people never make this decision. Second, he said, you must determine the price that you will have to pay to achieve it, and then get busy paying that price. But maybe you think that he was just lucky? Lucky people consistently encounter lucky opportunities whereas unlucky people do not. However, there is no such thing as luck! We all have the same amount of opportunities available. Richard Wiseman writes in his book “Luck Factor: The Four Essential Principles” that lucky people generate their own good fortune via four basic principles. They are skilled at creating and noticing chance opportunities, make lucky decisions by listening to their intuition, create self-fulfilling prophesies via positive expectations, and adopt resilient attitude that transforms bad luck into good. He claims that unsuccessful people miss chance opportunities because they are generally too tense and anxious and focused on looking for something else. They look through newspapers, determined to find certain type of job advertisements and as a result miss other types of jobs which could be much more beneficial for them. In his research Wiseman brings a marvelous example by showing how unlucky people even missed advertisement which formed a half of the newspaper page and could solve immediately their problem. Lucky people are more relaxed and open, and therefore they see what is there rather than just what they are looking for. That is why they notice much more opportunities. Wiseman claims that lucky people are much more persistent because they always believe that there is a solution to the problem, unlucky people give up very easily after giving their best shot. The most surprising was, however, that lucky people saw even in seemingly bad situations opportunities to make money and to turn the situation around to their fortune. Brian Tracy, a self-made millionaire states that you must be solution-oriented, instead of being problem-oriented. The more you focus on solutions, the more easily you solve your problems. It is the secret of becoming a self-made millionaire, it is a secret of great success in life.
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 Ülle Rannut, PhD
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