SRS stands for “Spaced Repetition Software”. It’s a flashcard learning method that is based on the idea that information can be deeply learned if it is continually encountered and spaced out over a long period of time, as compared to daily intensive studying. Unfamiliar information would be spaced very frequently, maybe a few days, while more familiar information would be more spaced in intervals of weeks, months, or even a year.
For example, If you were exposed to the phrase,
“確かに６階と２階でエレベーターが止まったと思ったけど．．.” (Hmm, I thought the elevator stopped at the 6th and 2nd floors , but…)
for the first time, you’ll most likely see it the following day. But, if the item is something that is more familiar, like the word “たく” (table), it might not be seen again for 8 months. That’s the beauty of the system, managing what you do know and what your still learning until it all resides pretty much indefinitely inside that memory of yours.
Because of this, SRS programs make it possible to be exposed to thousands of words, sentences, articles, etc., over a period of time. It’s perfect for language learning. Like it was said before, a person has to be exposed to a language until it becomes subconscious, until it can be felt, and to do that one needs a massive amount of exposure over a long period of time. Enter SRS.
There are a variety of SRS programs out there for both personal computers and smart phones. Some are free and some aren’t. I’ve listed a few of the notable ones below.
Absorb language 言語を吸収する
Gengo 言語 