Adults With Autism

Adults With AutismSo you are thinking about enrolling yourself in an Aba Tutor Program, don't you? Why not?The purpose of an Aba is to help children with Autism improve their verbal, social and behavioral skills. By doing so, they can be a successful student, and a successful adult. With a little help from an Aba tutor, kids with Autism are becoming successful.Adults with Autism are also now able to find work. There are many programs and jobs open for people with Autism.What makes this such a great help for both kids and adults is that, with the help of the program, children can be more social. Aba encourages social interaction. It is a great way to help children who have Autism learn social skills. As an adult with Autism, it is a big boost to your self-esteem to be able to go places by yourself.Aba helps teach social skills. These skills include learning how to share and accept others. Children learn to deal with shyness. They learn how to better express themselves and learn how to get their point across.In addition, people with Autism, also need to learn how to take an active role in their life. Often, they may not want to take part in activities because they are afraid that they will embarrass themselves or get hurt.An Aba tutor will teach these children how to do that. This is beneficial for adults with Autism, because they can also learn the social skills they need to participate in the world. This teaches them how to interact with people on an everyday basis.That is a small step to take. In order to make a big difference in their lives, adults with Autism need to be sure they receive the kind of treatment and help they need to become the best possible adults they can be. They need to enroll in an Aba tutor to help them succeed in life.

5 Best Elementary Schools in Austin

5 Best Elementary Schools in Austin Starting a child’s education with a successful elementary education is imperative to a child’s scholastic success. We were interested in finding out about the top performing schools in Austin.After researching the best elementary schools in Austin we now have the concrete proof just how great they are. For our first ranking in our school district series, we’ll show you how we calculated the Texas Education Agency’s metrics from the most recent report (2014) to rank each school that met their standards. While the TEA Index is pretty comprehensive, Frog Tutoring decided to evaluate a couple additional factors in the study we found. The following methodology was used in calculation:STAAR Expectations (48%): When taking the STAAR test into consideration, we look at the percentage of students who met or exceeded the expectations of the test in a given year.TEA Index (48%): We utilized the Texas Education Agency’s 4 areas of academic excellence, which consist of Student Achieveme nt, Student Progress, Closing Performance Gaps, and Postsecondary Readiness.Class Size (2%): Student-to-teacher ratio is important for an individual’s learning, so we took this into consideration.Online Reviews (2%): We have weighted each school’s popularity score based on Facebook reviews, Greatschools.org reviews, and K12.Niche.org reviews.If you’d like to see a more in-depth look at the TEA’s metrics for accountability standards, please click here. To determine a definitive ranking for the top elementary schools in Austin, we combined these 7 factors to create one number to compare and contrast the success of each elementary school.1. Casis ElementaryCasis Elementary School comes in at number one, with an 20:1 student-to-teacher ratio, and a school size of about 803. In the most recent report card from the Texas Education Agency, Casis was recognized in the following areas of distinction: Reading/ELA, Top 25% Student Progress, Top 25% Closing Perform Gaps, and Postseconda ry Readiness. Because of all of these distinctions, it’s no wonder that 82% of Casis students have met or exceeded the standards of the STAAR test.2. Highland Park ElementaryHighland Park Elementary School comes in at number two, with an 20:1 student-to-teacher ratio, and a school size of about 638. In the most recent report card from the Texas Education Agency, Highland Park was recognized in the following areas of distinction: Reading/ELA, Top 25% Student Progress, Top 25% Closing Perform Gaps, and Postsecondary Readiness. Because of all of these distinctions, it’s no wonder that 83% of Highland Park students have met or exceeded the standards of the STAAR test.3. Kiker ElementaryKiker Elementary School comes in at number three, with an 22:1 student-to-teacher ratio, and a school size of about 1019. In the most recent report card from the Texas Education Agency, Kiker was recognized in the following areas of distinction: Postsecondary Readiness, Social Studies, Science, and Re ading/ELA. Because of all of these distinctions, it’s no wonder that 79% of Kiker students have met or exceeded the standards of the STAAR test.4. Doss ElementaryDoss Elementary School comes in at number four, with an 20:1 student-to-teacher ratio, and a school size of about 917. In the most recent report card from the Texas Education Agency, Doss was recognized in the following areas of distinction: Reading/ELA, Science, Top 25% Student Progress, and Postsecondary Readiness. Because of all of these distinctions, it’s no wonder that 77% of Doss students have met or exceeded the standards of the STAAR test.5. Clayton ElementaryClayton Elementary School comes in at number five, with an 22:1 student-to-teacher ratio, and a school size of about 879. In the most recent report card from the Texas Education Agency, Clayton was recognized in the following areas of distinction: Reading/ELA and Top 25% Closing Perform Gaps. Because of all of these distinctions, it’s no wonder that 75% o f Clayton students have met or exceeded the standards of the STAAR test.Frog Tutoring Austin Tutors are proud to present the best elementary schools in Austin based on statistics released by the Texas Education Agency. Please share in the comments any personal experience that you have had in the Austin Independent School District!5 Best Elementary Schools in AustinCreate your own infographicsNote: We wanted to take a second to explain our methodology, and how we arrived at factoring in each area of success for our rankings. First, we made an extensive spreadsheet (which you can take a look at for yourself here), and collected all of the data that we needed for our results. Then we converted each factor into a percentage and multiplied that number by the percentage of how much it’s worth in our ranking system. Let’s look at an example: LASA High School’s TEA Index ranking is 318/400.318 / 400 = 79.50%Since this is 22% of our total, we used the percentage above to measure how much it’s worth in our ranking system. Which in this case is 22% of the total score.79.50 x .22 = 17.49%If you’d like to know more about this process, please contact our coordinator, Judith, at judith@frogtutoring.com.

Get Physical Chemistry For The Chemical Sciences PDF for a Better Understanding

Get Physical Chemistry For The Chemical Sciences PDF for a Better UnderstandingMany students do not understand that the primary areas in physical chemistry are being studied are the periodic table, the element relationships, the atomic structure and the most basic elements and ions. This book explains the chemistry topics you need to know to learn the subjects in a systematic manner. The physical chemistry textbook is a must-have for anyone interested in getting a master's degree in the area of chemistry.These books are easily available from online sellers at reasonable prices. Some sellers also offer discounts to their customers. This process of selling books has become the common practice in the present as more universities and colleges have started offering it. You can also look for the bookstores in your area that sell textbooks for chemistry to study at home.If you study chemistry at college or university, you will find that your understanding of the subjects will be diluted by studying many different textbooks for chemistry. The books at the college may differ in size, color and style. If you intend to get a degree in chemistry, you should make sure that you get a book that is the best suited for your learning process.These books are commonly available in e-books so that you can download them easily on your computer and work on them. The reason why this is effective is because you do not have to carry the books around. You can also search the internet to find the right book for your study process.You can get physical chemistry for the chemical sciences PDF from your local bookstore, from the internet, the library or you can order one directly from a seller. You can also use the search function on the internet to look for the most suitable seller and the product that you need. You will find it easy to compare the prices of different sellers and compare the products that they offer. You can also check their feedback to determine the seller's reliability.The best way to learn about physical chemistry is to get a book that is good enough to learn all the concepts of the subject matter. You need to make sure that the book provides you with the required information and that it presents the topic in a systematic manner. The next step is to choose the right study guide that will help you study the subject matter effectively.You can also check out reviews to find out if the book has been written by a professional and can be trusted. Check if the author has published many works on the same subject. A good book on physical chemistry is easy to read and is helpful in many ways. It helps you learn at your own pace and you can choose to study and comprehend the subject in your own time.

Chemistry Significant Figures Worksheet - Use Strategies to Make Sure That You Are Getting All the Way to the Goal

Chemistry Significant Figures Worksheet - Use Strategies to Make Sure That You Are Getting All the Way to the GoalThere are various ways in which you can do your Chemistry Significant Figures worksheet, there are different ways that you can organize it, and there are different strategies that you can employ. For each strategy that you want to employ, you have to identify the other strategies that will complement that strategy.First of all, you have to make sure that you are actually doing the Chemistry Significant Figures worksheet correctly. You have to make sure that you are following the strategy that you have chosen and following the guidelines and the conditions of your worksheet. Following these strategies and using these guidelines will ensure that you are actually accomplishing the goals that you have set for yourself.The most important thing that you should remember is that the goal is not just going to the next step, or even getting to the next step. The goal is just achiev ing the next step. The first step is to move onto the next step, then the next step, and so on.In order to accomplish this strategy, you need to first identify the different steps that you will be applying. Make sure that you identify the different steps that are going to be used throughout the strategy. You will find that the Strategy to follow is going to be quite difficult to learn because you will have to engage with the strategies in a particular order.You can use the strategies that you are going to employ while you are learning Chemistry Significant Figures, but when you get into actual practice, you will notice that you may actually have to improvise your strategy. So you have to ensure that you are doing your strategy in the right way.The problem is that it is very difficult to improvise a strategy that you have learnt in practical learning experience. So it is always better to stick to your strategy. This way, you are going to make sure that you are achieving the goal that you have set for yourself.You need to really pay attention to the fact that this is a big part of the strategy. In order to achieve the chemistry major that you have been pursuing, you need to stick to the strategy that you have followed. Making sure that you are following the strategy is really very important.

America Volunteer Tutoring

America Volunteer TutoringIf you are looking for a good chance to volunteer in Cincinnati then it is a good idea to look for America Volunteer Tutoring Cincinnati. This volunteer program provides you the chance to meet people from different backgrounds and experiences. It will also make you get more acquainted with the cultural nuances and various talents of the city that you visit on your daily stroll.The schedule of America Volunteer Tutoring Cincinnati is available on the internet and it also informs you about the other activities that you can participate in. You can start by registering yourself as a student in the classes which are required for the program. Then you can take classes in any field and also in some subjects which are related to the subject which you have chosen.This will help you have the liberty to participate in the activities that you like. There are many other classes and programs that you can take up. Some of them include Theology, Philosophy, Music, Arts, Bus iness and other arts related courses.It is important to know that America Volunteer Tutoring Cincinnati is a one time intensive program and you can't easily repeat it. After taking up the program you have to work hard for the whole time that you are engaged in the program. You will be required to offer your personal services to the organizations and provide them with the information regarding their issues.Many companies that are located in Cincinnati are looking forward to hiring America Volunteer Tutoring Cincinnati volunteers who will have the required skills. These professionals have the required skills and they are trained well. They are aware of the details of the organization and they can answer all the queries that they are required to have.All the necessary information is provided to you regarding the activities you are participating in and some of them will also provide you a list of the colleges that are close to your home. In the program you will have the liberty to atten d all the courses. In the course you will also get the opportunity to find out the colleges that offer great opportunities for the youth in the current state of the economy.America Volunteer Tutoring Cincinnati is not only available for the urban and the suburban youths. For the working adults, the program is also available for them. This program can also be helpful to your career.

Film Musicals

Film Musicals Film Musicals Permit a Wider Audience ChaptersMusical Theatre’s Golden AgeAndrew Lloyd WebberDisney MusicalsFilm Musicals TodayNot everybody has the opportunity to catch a musical whenever the mood strikes them.If you live in London, Glasgow, Cardiff or any other major city, you certainly could attend a Broadway production, a revival of a formerly popular show or revue but if you live in the Scottish Highlands or deep in the Pennines, catching a show is a treat that demands careful planning.That being the case, isn’t it great that technology has advanced?Today, with Blu-Ray discs and high definition televisions, and especially if your home theatre system is equipped with surround sound, nothing says you can’t enjoy your favourite Broadway productions in the comfort of your own home as though you were in the plushest of theatre seats.Even before such technological marvels turned your home into a theatre, musicals have been made into films shown in cinemas, at least until laser discs and video cassettes came along.Re member Singin’ In The Rain? Fiddler on the Roof? Both were Broadway musicals before they became cinematic smash hits. If I were a rich man…Yes, riches played a part on Broadway and in London’s West End theatres.It was long held for true that only the well-to-do could pay for such entertainment; indeed, musicals of the 40s and 50s were carefully planned to appeal to society’s middle and upper classes. The same holds true today.A 2013 study revealed that wealthier and more educated people prefer jazz music and musical theatre to country music, heavy metal and rap. Could access to such ‘rich’ music have been the barrier to mainstream society enjoying such treasures all along?Filming the greatest musicals was the perfect way to level the playing field.Now, rather than Tony Award-winning shows running only in major cities’ culture centres, stories set to music can reach every part of the country, first in cinemas and, with the advent of home entertainment systems, in privat e homes.Your Superprof now takes a look at some of the greatest titles ever featured on stage that found their way into cinema… and/or your television. CarlActing Teacher 5.00 (5) £55/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaActing Teacher 5.00 (8) £45/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ElifActing Teacher 5.00 (10) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors CalumActing Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChristopherActing Teacher 5.00 (9) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LowriActing Teacher 5.00 (8) £85/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielActing Teacher 5.00 (6) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors CiaranActing Teacher 5.00 (5) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsMusical Theatre’s Golden Age Do you remember the first time you saw an original Broadway show on the silver screen? Image by ?? ? from PixabayBefore we explore the glorious period of musicals staged from the 1940s to the 60s â€" what is known as the Golden Age (of Broadway, typically), we present a few facts.Music has been a part of theatre for as long as societies have had theatres.Operas and operetta are musical shows but differ from musicals in several waysMusical theater as we know it has been around since the mid-1800sCertain elements were born of Gilbert and Sullivan’s genius in Britain and by Harrigan and Hart in the USIn the UK, Edwardian musical comedies picked up where Gilbert and Sullivan left offDuring the First World War, New York’s Broadway theater took the lead in musical productionAround that time, New York City became the cultural centre of the western hemisphere and has remained so ever since.That is why the Golden Age of Musicals typically refers to shows that ran on that illustrious stage as well as off-Broadway, the Lincoln Center and other houses in the New York’s theatre district.That era happened to coincide with new technologies in the film industry.After several stops and starts, ‘the talkies’ as sound film was called replaced silent film, opening up the medium to more expressive presentations that included singing. In cinematic terms, by the 1940s, the stage was set for lavish musicals.One musical film you may be familiar with is The Wizard of Oz. It was filmed in 1939 but it wasn’t until it was re-released 10 years later that it became a hit. It took that long for the American musical to catch on with cinema-going audiences.Another film of that era that was wildly popular with American audiences is Oklahoma! - which firmly placed the writing team of Rodgers and Hammerstein at the forefront of the musical film wave.Their next two big titles, State Fair and Meet Me in Saint Louis could be described as cut from the same cloth but their later contributio ns â€" Cinderella and The Sound of Music firmly established their legacy as one of musical theatre’s greatest writing teams.So accomplished are they that their work has garnered no fewer than 34 Tony Awards and 15 Academy Awards!Footnote: naturally, there were many shows prior to this era of Broadway musicals â€" Show Boat and No, No Nanette among them. Both of those were made into films, as were many others that ran before movie studios’ emergence as the prime entertainment factory.Now, for a theatre quiz question: what are book musicals? Exquisitely choreographed, The Phantom remains a perennial favourite on stage and in film Image by Ahmad Ardity from PixabayAndrew Lloyd WebberWhile the likes of Irving Berlin, Lerner and Loewe and the above-mentioned songwriting duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein were revolutionising musical theatre in the US, our Andrew Lloyd Webber’s work was setting fire to stages all over West London (not literally, of course).He was still a teenager when he was introduced to his longtime collaborator, Tim Rice. Their first effort was The Likes of Us, a musical about a philanthropist who opened homes for poor children.Although the show is well-received today, in 1965 they couldn’t find any backers - sponsors who would help them stage it. Undaunted, they moved on to other projects.They enjoyed a measure of commercial success with other collaborations but it wasn’t until Jesus Christ Superstar that the duo became a household name.The 1973 film of the same name was more of a film in the true sens e â€" shot on location in Israel but the updated 2000 video release was more like the stage show. Of course, both versions incorporated the fantastic music.And the hits continue…Cats was nothing if not a phenomenon on stage, breaking box offices worldwide and smashing records for the longest run of any stage show.The film version was released direct-to-video in 1998, nearly 20 years after its debut at the New London Theatre.The string of hits caused some theatre aficionados to aver that Baron Lloyd Webber is the master of the concept musical but it was Cats that ushered in the era of the mega-musical.Of all the music and shows that Lloyd Webber contributed to, perhaps none is more renown than The Phantom of the Opera. Like so many of his other shows, this story has its roots in literature; a French novel written by Gaston Leroux.Again, there were nearly 20 years between The Phantom’s stage debut at Her Majesty’s Theatre in West End and the film’s release.Some tend to think o f Broadway shows as the alpha and omega of music theatre. Clearly, those who think so overlook the theatrical genius of Great Britain’s Andrew Lloyd Webber!Join the discussion: are jukebox musicals theatre gold or a lazy shortcut?Disney MusicalsWhen one mentions they are going to buy tickets to see the latest musical comedy, a Disney film is not exactly what springs to mind.In fact, Disney has been on the film musical bandwagon pretty much since the genre’s inception; their very first animated feature film was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.Surely you remember tunes such as Whistle While You Work and Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, right?Because they are animated works, people tend to categorise them as children’s entertainment, which they are designed to be but, if you think about it, many Disney films are musicals.Take The Lion King, for example. It is Disney’s 32nd full-length animated film. Memorable and evocative, it capably carries on that studio’s tradition of weaving music into an engaging storyline.Not all of Disney Studios output of that time was animated. Think Mary Poppins and Beauty and the Beast â€" a story they apparently liked so much that they made both an animated and live-action version of.Because so many Disney songs become mainstream pop hits (Let it Go, anyone?), you might be tempted to think that many of their musical films should be categorised as pop/rock musicals… that would not be correct! Some of Disney's film musicals have become stage musicals Image by David Mark from PixabayFilm Musicals TodayIf, as mentioned at the start of this article, the goal of film musicals was to bring the genre to the wider public, the experiment has met with astounding success.Anyone who belts out ‘Go The Distance’ (Hercules, 1997) when they need inspiration or Hakuna Matata when they are happy is unwittingly giving testimony to how pervasive the Broadway musical has become.Speaking of Broadway theatres…Recently, we’ve seen a reversal in the order which shows are put on and produced. Rather than a new musical finding success on stage and then being made into a film, cinema audiences are the first to see new musicals. Fans of radio are simultaneously treated to hit songs from the film.And then, the music and lyrics play out on stage, generally to a more limited audience than the film. We’re not talking only Disney films, here; it’s many different types of musicals.Think of the 2016 Hollywood film La La Land, for instance… but clearly, Disney fare takes the lead. The Lion King stage show was a sensation and Frozen drew rave reviews.The irony is that, while some would not be caught dead attending a Disney film premiere, catching the Broadway debut of Frozen would be a feather in one’s social cap.But then, all of those statistics could give no reflection on anyone who gets tickets. Statistics show that close to half of all West End theatre tickets are sold to tourists…Perhaps only film musicals will survive, and maybe that’s a good thing. No need to wait for a Fair Lady revival to tour the country; just pop down to your nearest video rental outlet â€" or, better yet, stream it from your preferred digital service.Now, your musical theatre questions answered: what is a revue musical?

The Wonderful History of the Spanish Language

The Wonderful History of the Spanish Language What are the Origins of the Spanish Language? ChaptersThe Roots of the Spanish LanguageThe Golden Age of the Spanish LanguageWhere Does Spanish Come From?: The Contemporary and Modern History of the Castilian LanguageThe Spanish Language as We Know it TodayIf you have read an introduction to the Spanish language, you will know that Spanish is spoken well beyond the borders of Spain. It is a language that is spoken by 440 million native speakers, and it is used as an official language by 20 different countries across 3 continents.In fact, it is spoken to widely that there are a number of different Spanish accents across the world.When you think of Spanish, you probably think of grammar, vocabulary, and linguistics, not to mention the difficulties you had in learning the language at school.But did you know that this foreign language  has a rich and passionate history? Its roots can be traced back all the way to the 8th century, but since then it has gone through many changes, notably as the number of Spanish speaking countries has grown.If you are interested in the Spanish language and culture, then you have come to the right place. In this article, we will chart the history of the Spanish language from its earliest conception, all the way to the present day. TadeoSpanish Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnnickSpanish Teacher 5.00 (6) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PeterSpanish Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LowriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (8) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MartaSpanish Teacher 5.00 (6) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SharonSpanish Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TanyaSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Jose manuelSpanish Teacher £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Roots of the Spanish LanguageThere have been some amazing Spanish speaking thinkers who have contributed to our world, and they have given some interesting quotes in Spanish. But how did they come to be speaking this language? Let’s begin our history lesson on the Spanish language by going back more than 2,000 years to the age of the Romans.It's the 3rd century BC, and the Spanish language has still not come to be.Between the 3rd century BC and the 1st century BC, the Romans set out to conquer the entire Iberian Peninsula. In doing so, they managed to make several languages that had been spoken on the peninsula up until their arrival, extinct in their original forms. In fact, of those languages, only Basque still remains today.Indeed, history tells us that numerous groups of people were living in the region at the time, such as the Celts, the Iberians, and the Basques. This is not to mention the people who arrived to trade with these groups, such as the Greeks, the Phoenicians, and the Carthaginians.After the conquest of the region, the Romans began to impose Latin on the existing populations. There were two Latin languages in that t ime: written Latin and vernacular Latin (or spoken Latin).Due to the considerable distance of modern day Spain and Portugal from the centre of the Roman empire in present day Italy, linguistic innovations were slow in arriving. Due to the large territorial area of the empire, the Latin developed differently in different areas.It is also for this reason that Portuguese and Spanish share similarities and differences, as the relative geographical isolation allowed them to develop in tandem, but equally to diverge in their own ways, and thus making them distinct languages.But going back to the times of the Romans, and it was the soldiers, settlers, and traders who brought linguistic changes from Rome to the Iberian peninsula, but these mixed with the local languages to form Vulgar Latin. Over time, the original languages had mixed so much with Latin that they had all, apart from Basque, been rendered unrecognisable. Although some still exist today in very different forms to their origin als, they all had a hand in shaping the language that we recognise today as Spanish.Fast forward to the 5th century AD, and the power of Roman Empire was fading. Germanic tribes who were living at the borders of the empire saw their chance and settled on the Iberian peninsula.The Swabians moved in to establish their own kingdom, but they were eventually conquered by the Visigoths, who went on to rule most of the peninsula.In the 8th century, it was the Moors (Arabs from North Africa) who invaded the region.  Coming from Mauritius and Morocco, these Arab-Muslim populations ruled over Spain until the 15th century.Different cultures and languages have impacted on modern day Spain over the yearsThe story of all of this invasions and changes my seem far removed from our aim of establishing the history of the Spanish language, but it is essential to understanding the linguistic changes that occurred in each point in history.Each invading force brought with it its own language. When the Ar abs arrived in Spain,  the lexicon of the time witnessed numerous evolutions drawn from the Arabic language.And it was at the time of the Arab's arrival from North Africa that Castilian, from which Spanish is derived, started to take shape.Castilian was the language of the Asturians, a group of people who were occupied by Muslim invaders before fighting back to from the first Christian political entity in the 8th century. Around two hundred years later, the Kingdom of the Asturias transitioned into the Kingdom of León.The kingdom became one of the most important on the Iberian peninsula, and it expanded south and east during the 10th century under the watchful eye of Alfonso IV.When King Ferdinand I of Castile inherited the Kingdom of León in 1037,  he was able to unite this kingdom with that of Castile, forming the first Spanish monarchy.In the centuries that followed, the Castilian language expanded more and more.Although in the 10th century Castilian still wasn't very widesprea d (it was only spoken in the north of the peninsula and in the center), it increased in importance thanks to the Basques, who integrated the Kingdom of Castile between 1200 and 1370.Thus, the north of Spain began to unify in anticipation of an attempt to reconquer the large swathes of land taken previous by the North African Arabs. The Christian reconquest (Reconquista) began in 1212, under the reign of Alphonso VIII of Castile. All of the cities that the Muslims had occupied  fell one after another. Only Grenada resisted until 1492.The Iberian peninsula has changed over the centuriesAfter the reconquest, Spain was split into several kingdoms: the Kingdom of Castile (with the Castilian language), the Kingdom of Aragon (with the Catalan language), the Kingdom of Navarre (with the Basque language), the principality of Andorra (with the Catalan language) and the Kingdom of Portugal (with the Portuguese language).In 1469, the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon were unified. This allowed the Castilian language to spreadâ€"to the detriment of Catalan. It wasn’t until 1512, with the incorporation of Navarre, that Spain as we know it today was completely unified.Although these languages all developed at the same time, Spanish and Catalan are markedly different. The dominance of the Spanish language at this time is the reason that it is spoken so widely today.Thanks to the economic and political power of Castile, the Castilian language naturally spread throughout the territory. This was, once again, to the detriment of Catalan and Basque.During this period, the Spanish language witnessed numerous changes thanks to the different populations that lived there, including the Basque people and the Arab-Muslims. Arabic enriched the Castilian language with thousands of words, further differentiating it from Basque, whose contributions were reduced.The Golden Age of the Spanish LanguageWhen we talk about the golden age of Spain, we talk about the apogee the country experienced d uring the 16th and 17th centuries.Under the guidance of Charles I of Spain who ruled the Spanish empire from 1516, a lot of expeditions to the Americas were launched in order to further expand the territory. The Aztec Empire was conquered in 1521 and the Inca Empire in 1533.In 1550, Spain was in control of the South-American continent, the Philippines, Cuba, Florida, and Central America. Subsequently, the Spanish language which had been shaped from Castilian over many years was suddenly taken to far away lands with the conquistadors.Charles I of Spain oversaw large scale expansion of the Spanish empireIn 1700, there were 6 million Spanish-speakers in the world. This was thanks to the Bourbon dynasty (in the 18th century) and the great politics of centralisation put in place in order to force populations to speak Spanish.Although numerous languages (including Basque, Asturian, Andalusian, Aragonese, and Catalan) were still spoken in their respective regions, Castilian became the offi cial language throughout the Spanish kingdom.Where Does Spanish Come From?: The Contemporary and Modern History of the Castilian LanguageThe Collapse of the Spanish EmpireBy the early 1800s, Castilian Spanish already resembled what we can recognise as Spanish today.However, this was a time of great upheaval for Spain. Napoleon invaded Spain in 1808 and put his brother, Joseph Bonaparte, on the throne.Napoleon's invasion led to the abdication of Ferdinand VII, and a political crisis in Spain. In the face of this, Spanish Americans rejected absolutism, and Juntas were formed to provide an alternative to European rule. This was the beginning of the end for Spanish rule in the Americas, and Spain lost control over all mainland colonies by 1825 (retaining only Cuba and Puerto Rico).Between 1833 and 1839, the different Spanish governments imposed the utilisation  of only the Castilian language in all the regions of Spain. The administrations also become monolingual. This brought about a r enaissance of the Catalan language, nourished by the resentments of the Catalan people towards the government’s decision.In 1898, the war between Spain and America obliged the Spanish to offer to the Americans the islands of Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico. After this defeat, Spain was only left with Spanish Guinea (today known as Equatorial Guinea), a set of colonies controlled by Spanish from 1778.In that time, Spain began to weaken politically as well as economically.This culminated in the end of the monarchy and a military dictatorship that ended in 1930. In 1931, the Spanish Constitution was changed in order to allow the various regions of Spain to utilise  their regional language as well as Castilian.The Spanish Language During the Franco DictatorshipIn 1936, a civil war broke out. The army that had remained faithful to the monarchy and that was beginning to weaken now wanted to overthrow the Republican government which had replaced it. In 1939, General Franco's nationalist forces won the civil war and overthrew the democratic Second Spanish Republic which had existed since 1931.A powerful linguistic repression followed.Republican fugitives under the control of Francoist troops.Franco wanted to return Spain to the great power that it had been during the Golden Age.For him, that meant Castilian (a symbol of Spain’s great power) had to be the only language.Because of this, all regional languages (and especially Basque and Catalan) were forbidden, and books in those languages were burned.In the same vein, he got rid of all Basque names.The Spanish Language as We Know it TodayIn 1975, following the death of Franco, Juan Carlos I became king of Spain. Much more democratic than his predecessor, he radically changed the country and the way of speaking the Spanish language.Today, Spain is divided into 17 autonomous communities, led by their local governments. All are autonomous and speak Castilian.  People in Catalonia, parts of the Valencian Co mmunity , and the Balearic islands speak Catalan, the people of Val d’Aran speak Aranese, those in the Communidad de Foral in Navarre and Basque Country speak Basque, and those in Galicia speak Galician.There is also Aragonese in Aragon, Andalusian in Adalusia, Leonais in Castille-et-León, the Cantabrian dialect in Cantabria, the Canarian dialect in the Canary Islands, the Extramaduran dialect in Extramadura, Asturian in the Asturias, and Murcian Spanish in Murcia.That being said, although Spain allows these regions to speak their desired language, only Castilian Spanish remains an official language. The other regional languages are still not fully recognised.Now you have an in-depth knowledge of the Spanish language. Castilian Spanish is the language spoken throughout Spain, and large parts of Central and South America. Thus, if you learn Castilian, people will be able to understand you in many countries throughout the world.If you are preparing to learn Spanish from square one, why not take a lesson with a Spanish professor? The Spanish language and culture are connected in many ways, so choose someone passionate about both, they will be able to teach you about the links between the two, as well as about the history of Spain.Today, the language of Cervantes compromises dozens of different Spanish dialects, each with their own unique accent. So what are you waiting for? You'll find something that is perfect what you are looking for, and you'll be able to learn Spanish before travelling to a Spanish speaking country in no time!