Thank you for sharing your methods, you certainly have a very thorough
experience in spaced repetition learning.
I wonder how your easiness curve looks like? Does it have a perfect normal
distribution (how "should" it look like)?
Do you feel like using spaced repetition learning have improved your
learning and recalling skill?
Do you think there are any other side effects of learning that many cards?
kl. 21:06:27 UTC+2 mandag 22. april 2013 skrev Henrik in Oslo følgende:
>
> (Inspired by Tom Catos posting about retention rate)
>
> I have for more than 10 years use Spaced Repetition Learning Software
> (SRLS).
>
> For the past 12 months I have studied German. I have
>
> - followed two good courses at Goethe Institut ("B1" and "B2")
>
> - had some private tutoring
>
> - used Mnemosyne extensively: Entered ~ 9 000 learning items (German), ~ 7
> 000 of them active right now.
>
> - ~ 130 items per day (includes Italian and history)
>
> - used Mnemomsyne tags actively in order to prioritise
>
> - I intend to take an oral exam (German) in 2-3 weeks and I am fairly
> confident I will pass
>
> - my German will keep improving the coming years
>
> I have previously learned Italian, more or less following the same process
> (using Supermemo). It took a lot longer to learn Italian (I had no
> background knowledge, Italian is further from my mother tongue, Norwegian,
> there is less material available). I have now also "learned more about
> learning a language". Over the years I have adjusted my approach
> considerably. Below are my main points (learning is individual, we all need
> to find out "what works for me"):
>
> *1) Using SRLS, my aim is a retention rate no lower than 95%.***
>
> Supermemo uses the term "*leeches*" for the stubborn learning items that
> one systematically tends not to remember. Now I periodically keep an eye on
> my "leeches": Are they badly formulated? Do I have the necessary
> "surrounding" and "supporting" knowledge? Some I simply give a
> "Priority-2"-tag and put on hold until I am more ready. Others I
> re-formulate (would be nice if Mnemosyne allowed "copy-items" and/ or
> "Reset learning"). I may also supplement with a different approach (use
> picture/ sound). Some I write down (yes, good old handwriting) and look
> through every now and then. I find that changing the learning-context can
> do wonders...
>
> *2) For me, language is primarily spoken***
>
> I listen to native-speakers. I search for learning situations (now I have
> German friends, of course). I am not shy to make mistakes. Mnemosyne with
> sound is for me powerful and useful. *Interesting how often I (in a
> real-life situation) cannot find a phrase that I really know well when
> going through my daily Mnemosyne-lesson..*.
>
> *3) Some textbooks are really good***
>
> For German I used an OCR scanner to grab excellent text-book material into
> PC... and some of it all the way into Menmosyne learning items. I tried to
> work ahead of classes and I was well prepared. And of course I still repeat
> stuff we "learned" in August. *A pity so few text-books are digital. *
>
> I also find good material online (one has to be critical of quality
> though).
>
> *4) "It is easier to learn a language when you already now it"***
>
> Now I am really focused on learning basics and the easy stuff first. That
> foundation then provides the platform to progress from. Therefore: I reduce
> my leeches. I am not yet ready for them.
>
> I cram sentences like: "I am sorry, could you please repeat that/ could
> you please speak very slowly/ do you think you could express it
> differently" etc. And I use them.
>
> *5) Language is context***
>
> I have few single-word items in my database, put perhaps *10 small
> sentences *for *each important term. *I tend to build knowledge clusters
> (areas of interest, developing from basic, primitive language to more
> mature / advanced within this cluster.
>
> *6) Passive learning comes before active, and that is ok***
>
> As children we were bombarded with language that we did not quite
> understood, only slowly were we able to understand it, *then *use it.
>
> Typically with Mnemosyne I try to find interesting texts and
>
> a) I start by making "Cloze" cards. If leechy: I provide hints. Sometimes
> I start with easy-clozes in a difficult text and then add harder clozes to
> same text (card) as time progresses
>
> b) Then I make more traditional "front-to-back" items (usually short
> sentences), nearly always first from foreign language to familiar
> language. Tab separated txt is very efficient for pre-editing and input to
> Mnemosyne
>
> c) After a while Mnemosyne can inform me ("Easiness" and "Lapses") which
> of the front-to-back items are ready to enter my "active" knowledge, and
> stay there.... Browse, identify, right-click and convert card-type to
> "front-to-back and back-to-front".
>
> *7) Grammar is language in use, not just rules to remember***
>
> I learn both. Cloze is really useful in "filling in" the correct
> grammatical conjugation in a context.
>
> *8) Perhaps the main benefit for me of using Mnemosyne (and previously)
> Supermemo:***
>
> It has given me (a fairly untidy person) a much more *systematic approach*to
> learning.
>
> Now I spend 10-20 minutes EVERY day (sometimes a lot more when inputting
> stuff, tidying up etc)
>
> I feel that I spend time on useful and relevant learning material (not
> stuff that is too easy or to difficult)
>
> Whatever interesting, useful pieces of knowledge I learn: It is really
> nice to know that it is very unlikely that I will come in the position so
> familiar to many of my fellow language course participants over the years:
> "I took this course x, years ago, but I have forgotten most of it"
>
> Potential problem: Addiction.* I wonder if I can learn in any other way*.
>
> *Thanks to Peter and all the rest of you for providing this excellent
> learning tool.
> *
>
> I would like to hear other stories and experiences.
>
> / Henrik in Oslo
>
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