This software is a great tool to enhance student vocabulary at any and all levels of English learning!
Community Review for Membean
My Take
Overall, this site offers a type of support that many other software's do not, which is why it sets it apart from others. One thing that I really liked is that you can change certain settings so that the lessons can accommodate all types of learners, particularly those who are dyslexic. A trend I see with many websites being created today is that they do not take into account certain marginalized learners, but Membean does and I really loved seeing that. I also like the variety of pathways to learning words including defining the pre-fix, giving context, interactive video, etc. Each child has a different way of learning so having these different options ensures that every student gets to work in ways that best suit their style. However, I don't like that all of the options are put onto one big page. I feel that having so many options can be a little distracting or overwhelming, so I would have it so that only certain options are displayed, depending on what each student prefers to use.
How I Use It
As a future English teacher, the way that I would use this resource in my teaching is to take time out of every day for students to practice for at least 15 minutes. I would make it part of their grade to have at least 40 minutes every week completed on Membean. This will maintain a consistent use of the site and, therefore, better retention of the vocabulary they are learning. I find that the site is very calming and easy to use, so I would either have them do 15 minutes at the beginning of class or at the end so as to give them a sort of "brain break" either to reset before class begins or wind down before class ends.