It has never been more clear to me, that I am the kind of person who requires constant variety and change, than during my language learning escapades. If I find myself doing the same thing over and over, suddenly the cat needs some snuggles or the dishes need to be done. (Just kidding, I would do ANY form of studying before I do dishes...)
The point is, variety is the spice of life!!
App Updates
I used Memrise for a little while during the initial stages of my Spanish studies. (About 2 years ago) I think it lasted maybe a couple of weeks before I moved back to Duolingo. I installed it again just recently and I am happy to report that the new version of the app (for Android at least) is much more user friendly, a little more eye-catching and offers 'badges' for the studious study-er. And who doesn't want to collect all of the badges and prove they are awesome??
They even have a new course for Spanish (Which I haven't explored because my brain doesn't like mixing languages. I'll check it out once my French is a little better.)
The beginner French is nice and easy, and progresses at a wonderful pace. There are of course the odd phrases that seem.... less than useful. Por ejamplo: (My first Spanish teacher loved to use this phrase and I think it will be the one thing I will NEVER forget. Ever.) Est-ce que tu es séduisant?
Please, please tell me when I will need to use this? It is firmly entrenched in my memory now and I feel that if I don't use it I will be wasting all the brainpower that went into my studying.
However, despite this entertaining proclivity, which I have found in nearly all language courses, I'm enjoying the app and would definitely recommend it if you're in the market for something new! I should note, there is a paid portion of the app, which I haven't tried, but you can get along just fine with the free version!
Memrise Features
- Clean, straightforward design
- In the basic levels you see, hear and spell the words/phrases
- New words are quickly added to sentences so you are working with phrases as well as individual words.
- Clear audio recordings. Speech is at the perfect speed for beginners in the A1 French Course.
- Spaced-repetition so that you review the words before you have a chance to forget them
- Several different styles of lessons
- Learning Phase
- Review Phase
- Timed Review
- Audio Review (Pro)
- Adjustable Daily Goals
- Memrise notes words that you frequently miss and allows you to review these 'difficult words' at any time. (Pro)
- Literal translations of phrases (I find these help me remember word order a little better.)
- Can be used on mobile devices or the computer
- The computer version offers a 'Groups' feature that allows you to study with others
- Memes to help those who need to make connections in order to easily remember
Side Note: Memrise actually has a rather neat kickstarter on the go - They are planning to launch a video dictionary. Using a variety of native speakers for each language, their goal is to record 10k different phrases in each language. If you're interested in checking it out just follow this link or just watch the video below!
Ends December 17, 2015
