[Feature Request] Language Speed Review Improvements

Welcome to the Forum! General Discussion
1

It’s a rather simple and silly request, but I believe the speed review might be more helpful if the target language was presented at the top and the native language was the options presented below.

I believe this first because the target language is the one I’m more interested on being quized about, and being given my native language at first is a different sort of test and situation entirely. This alternative might encourage understanding in a way that’s more like a real life scenario; reading a sign or hearing a sentence then deciphering it before translating it back into my native language.
Second, I’m less likely to fully internalize the structure and meaning in the sentence. Being a speed test, I tend to find a few choice native words I can be certain on, usually nouns, and scan the options for their corresponding word in the target language. Which is a less effective option.
Third, being a speed test, the longer target sentence and phrase options really clog up the process of picking an option in time. I can read the native sentence in a fraction of a second, but if I was really going to decipher each of the structure and meaning of target language options, I wouldn’t have the time. This leads me to the strategy in the second point. If the top sentence was in the target language, I’d be more likely to focus on it’s significance, instead of the four options below that I may or may I’ve learned yet, or are even relevant.

I guess if nothing else, and even if my reasoning is poor, it’d be interesting to see if Memrise has any studies on if native>target or target>native translating is a more effective way to learn.
Maybe, the speed review can alternate between styles, or this could be presented as an option, either before the review begins, or in the settings.

Thanks!

2

There are multiple options if you use Cooljingle’s user scripts, for defining in the L2->L1 or L1->L2 translation directions:

You can turn the timer OFF, install “all typing”, get rid of the multiple choice typing stuff, etc. AFAIK there might also be a “only multiple-choice” script available besides “all typing”, if it still works after the last Memrise code updates.

The Memrise team unfortunately breaks Cooljingle’s scripts on weekly / monthly basis…hard to catch up with all the code updates…

The only thing is, you can’t use the good stuff with the “speed review” feature.

Do you really think that this exercise type helps you in reviewing single word or even longer phrases/sentences?

How do you want to quickly read 4, 6 or even 8 multiple choice options with a ticking timer, which does not stop at the top of the screen?

Be aware that the web portal “speed review” timer works different than the Android app “speed review” what I have heard about (app = better).
You might want to give it a try.

IMHO you can not use “speed review” for all type of courses.

The better, more difficult review is L1-L2 tests on RECALLING.

What you request is the way how DuoLingo handle’s their forward tree courses, showing the L2 target language and testing your L1 translation into your source/native language (much easier, but nevertheless I tend to forget some Portuguese words even I know the words on Memrise).

I think it is a good mix if you regulary test on both directions, with a stronger focus of the L1->L2 first (active chatting, writing, speaking).