Flashcards

LanGeek’s Flashcards feature is the second step in its four-step vocabulary learning system. After getting familiar with words in the Word Review step, learners use Flashcards to test themselves and see if they remember the meaning of each word. This step focuses only on the meaning, helping learners confirm what they know and identify words they still need to practice.

How Langeek Flashcards Work

How LanGeek’s Flashcards Work

When learners start a flashcard session, they see a series of cards, each showing one word. The front side of the card includes:

• The word itself
• Its part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, etc.)
• The pronunciation in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)
• A button to hear the word’s pronunciation

Learners try to recall the meaning of the word before flipping the card. When they flip it, they see:

• The word’s definition
• A translation (if a language is selected)
• An image related to the word
• Example sentences
• Two buttons: “Correct” if they remembered the meaning and “Incorrect” if they didn’t

If a learner marks a word as “Incorrect,” it will return to the end of the queue and appear again later in the session. This continues until they have correctly remembered all the words at least once.

At the end of the session, a results page shows how many times they struggled with each word. Words they found difficult can be added to their Daily Words for long-term review or to their Personal Wordlists for extra practice.

How Flashcards Fit into LanGeek’s Learning System

Flashcards are designed for short-term repetition and should not be confused with LanGeek’s Daily Words feature, which follows a Leitner system for spaced repetition. The Flashcards step helps learners quickly review words in a short period and filter out difficult ones.

For long-term retention, LanGeek recommends combining Flashcards with Daily Words. This way, learners can first reinforce their understanding and then move on to scheduled repetitions to make the words stick in their memory over time.

Can Learners Create Their Own Flashcards?

Flashcards are automatically generated for each wordlist. However, learners who want to study specific words can create a Personal Wordlist. Each personal wordlist includes a flashcard session as part of the learning steps.

Effectiveness of Flashcards in Language Learning

Studies have shown that flashcards are an effective tool for learning vocabulary, especially when they encourage active recall. Research by Kornell & Bjork (2008) found that self-testing with flashcards helps learners remember words better than passive review methods like rereading lists. Another study by Sungkhasettee, Friedman, & Castel (2011) showed that repeated exposure through flashcards improves word retention, but learners should use them strategically—focusing on words they find difficult and mixing them with other learning methods for the best results.

By using LanGeek’s Flashcards feature along with the Daily Words Leitner system and Personal Wordlists, learners can build strong vocabulary skills and improve long-term memory retention.