I’ve used several learning apps with SRS for learning Chinese. I started with Anki, then tried Memrise and eventually stumbled upon a relatively new alternative - https://www.hackchinese.com/
Anki is no doubt a helpful tool. However, at some stage, I caught myself wasting a lot of time making my vocabulary cards and I noticed that my progress slowed down. It seems to me that in Memrise and Hack Chinese language learning features are implemented more effectively.
Most likely, as the article suggests, the point is that these apps were designed specifically for learning a language in the case of Memrise, and for learning Chinese in the case of Hack Chinese. Well, it’s quite reasonable to assume that spaced repetition principles work better when adjusted to a narrow goal.
Anyway, even though SRS software is very useful, I don’t think it has a superpower. I’m not sure how it works for maths and computer science, but when it comes to learning languages, you can’t reach a high level of proficiency by focusing on some relatively isolated parts of a language. Reading, listening, writing, and speaking are necessary to learn how words are used and to achieve the ability to use these words yourself. For serious learners, SRS software is important, but it’s just one tool in their toolkit.
Completely agree. When I was in the university one of our professors told us that purpose of education is not to teach us everything but to teach us how to learn.
Anki is no doubt a helpful tool. However, at some stage, I caught myself wasting a lot of time making my vocabulary cards and I noticed that my progress slowed down. It seems to me that in Memrise and Hack Chinese language learning features are implemented more effectively.
Most likely, as the article suggests, the point is that these apps were designed specifically for learning a language in the case of Memrise, and for learning Chinese in the case of Hack Chinese. Well, it’s quite reasonable to assume that spaced repetition principles work better when adjusted to a narrow goal.
Anyway, even though SRS software is very useful, I don’t think it has a superpower. I’m not sure how it works for maths and computer science, but when it comes to learning languages, you can’t reach a high level of proficiency by focusing on some relatively isolated parts of a language. Reading, listening, writing, and speaking are necessary to learn how words are used and to achieve the ability to use these words yourself. For serious learners, SRS software is important, but it’s just one tool in their toolkit.