It’s not a teaching technique
currently employed by tutors at OISE but researchers at language learning app creators
Memrise are convinced that images of cute cats may be an indispensable tool for
language learning.
After conducting memory tests
to find out what best helps people retain information, they observed a clear
link between funny photos and people being able to remember phrases,
particularly those featuring cute cats. This is what led them to create their
latest app, CatAcademy, which shows photos of cats in humorous poses and
displays a corresponding phrase in Spanish.
Internet sensations such as Grumpy
Cat and Nyan Cat, both of whom have millions of fans on Youtube and Facebook,
are proof of a peculiar fascination with cats and analysts at Memrise think
this is exactly why incorporating these sorts of images into our language
learning could be so effective. They also cite research from Japan indicating
the relationship between cuteness and improved cognitive function to back up
their method.
Sadly, the CatAcademy app is
currently only available for Spanish learners but next time you’re struggling
to remember a particular phrase, why not associate it with an amusing picture of your
favourite feline?
For the full article, visit: www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25103362
