Memrise app improvements?

General discussion about learning languages
User avatar
WalkingAlone13
Orange Belt
Posts: 242
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2015 3:03 pm
Languages: English (N) German (B2) Finnish (beginner) Swedish (beginner) Polish (beginner)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... f=15&t=742
x 341

Memrise app improvements?

Postby WalkingAlone13 » Wed Aug 02, 2017 4:43 pm

I had been using Memrise over the past week on the app as a means to seperate my languages, and I had noticed a few differences between the app and the website. I already knew of differences between the two so it was "meh" to me, however, today I went to use the app as per usual, when after completing the learn new news, review and then quick review, I was surprised to see a "learn grammar" option suggested as my next move.

I was not blessed with time at this point but intrigue got the best of me and I gave it a shot nevertheless. It was a bot, and it functioned like a chat. I actually felt just as if I was momentarily on Hellotalk or something similar. It first gave me a few examples of, for example, how to negate something in Spanish by using "no" beforehand. I already knew this but I like the idea of the grammar aspects that are seemingly being introduced. It continued to give me sentences to which I had to negate.
I had three levels of grammar available to me, but looking ahead at the path, it appears as if there are more that I simply have not yet unlocked due to my lack of completion in the course. The same applies to the below.

This reminded me of the grammar notes on Duo but with the added benefit of actively doing these exercises as well as just reading the notes. I was surprised enough by the introduction of this, however there was actually another new arrival. I was suggested to "chat to the natives". Again this was a bot, and I was to undertake a short conversation with a Spanish "native" -i.e, bot, after seeing a dialogue and being given prompts to carry the conversation along.

To my knowledge both of these additions are probably only available on the Memrise courses, and I believe only the ones that were included in the Membus adventure. I may well be wrong on this, but I have only used Spanish on the app so I can not say with any degree of certainty.

I quite enjoyed this little digression from my usual learning on Memrise and although I can imagine that a lot of people will consider it to be another step in the gamification of Memrise and the associated conclusion that it is ever dumbing down. I feel as if this could be very beneficial to new learners of a language. I am only on Spanish one, and not far through it, but I am curious how the grammar may progress along in Spanish 6,7 or 8, for example, if indeed these other courses also have these options.

If these are not new, I apologise. Thoughts and opinions on these additions?
3 x

Return to “General Language Discussion”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests