Learn vocabulary with your finger

Dr. Ebert, you gave up your secure job at university in 2015 to develop a vocabulary app with your start-up cabuu. What drives you?

There is a lot going on in language research, but unfortunately only a little of it is being used in everyday school life. But these findings would help enormously when learning! The vision of making such findings accessible in a contemporary form simply did not let go of me. I was then faced with the options to extend my position at the University of Tübingen or even venture to found a company - and then decided to found one.

What findings were those exactly?

Word has now spread that you learn better when multiple senses are activated. But what is still largely unknown is learning with gestures, although this learning method has been excellently studied and proven. We were impressed by the effectiveness and it quickly became clear that you absolutely had to use it to learn vocabulary - but what was it in the stars back then.

How does learning with gestures work exactly?

After all, a gesture is a movement of the arms or hands that normally clarifies or represents an action, a characteristic or an object. For example, if I want to learn the vocabulary pair “wave” - “to wave”, then I wave to it. More areas of the brain are then stimulated than if I just look at the word on the index card. When you combine this learning with gestures with learning methods that appeal to different senses, it becomes really effective. That is exactly what we have implemented with the CABUU app.

Why is the vocabulary easier to memorize then?

Surprisingly, when I hear the word “wave,” brain regions are active in the brain that take care of executing a wave movement. So the brain is getting ready for me to raise my hand and move it back and forth even though I've only heard the word. This neural connection between speech comprehension and action is used in gestural vocabulary learning. As a result, more areas of the brain are activated and that is why we memorize the vocabulary much faster and longer than when learning with index cards - many studies have shown that. Another factor could be the so-called enactment effect: When I do and do something myself, I memorize it better than just reading about it or looking at a picture.

So should we gesture wildly in class?

That wouldn't be wrong at all! It would even help if the teacher made a few gestures. Because you don't necessarily have to perform the gesture yourself to see significant learning improvements. Watching someone do it has a positive effect. But of course, at a certain grade level, students may feel silly. And then vocabulary is no longer discussed in class anyway - you have to do that yourself at home. That's why we've simply packaged learning with gestures in an app.

How exactly does vocabulary learning work in the app?

Our learning robot Bo makes a gesture with every word and the user follows it with his finger on the touchscreen. The word is also auditioned and played by an animation — a good mix to appeal to additional senses. You can create your own vocabulary lists and the app also creates a learning plan including a vocabulary test so that you know how much you should learn every day.

Many say that you don't even notice that you're learning vocabulary - my own children call it “playing with the robot.”

There are already numerous apps for learning vocabulary and languages. Why is cabuu different?

That's right, there is already a wide selection of vocabulary trainers and apps. Most are based on the tried and tested index card system. That's not bad, of course, but we really wanted to exploit the potential of smartphones and tablets. For example, we actively use the touchscreen for the learning process, as the user must perform finger gestures on it. Meanwhile, a complex algorithm runs in the background, which adapts individually to the user's learning behavior. The app therefore gets smarter the longer you use it. The last thing is, I'll just call it that, the CABUU learning style. You simply have to try it out and experience it yourself. Many say that you don't even notice that you're learning vocabulary - my own children call it “playing with the robot,” for example.

But what is the app exactly — learning aid or game?

We've found an interesting hybrid: The app is not a classic vocabulary trainer that hammers words into the brain using the index box principle. However, it is also not a pure educational game, because there are actually no game elements. However, we have invested a lot of time in animations and the look of the app so that learning remains varied. It could probably best be described as a scientifically based and effective learning aid that makes vocabulary learning fun.

And how do I get the vocabulary I need to learn into the app?

Students can enter their own vocabulary and compile vocabulary lists. With the Langenscheidt dictionary, we have a huge database of words that makes suggestions and helps with input. If you want to save yourself the hassle of typing, simply use the scan function: With the mobile phone camera, printed lists can be transferred to the app. We have also compiled a number of vocabulary lists on various topics, which can be downloaded for free.

Many have reservations about using tablets and smartphones in class. Is it even possible to concentrate on learning with it?

In general, learning can be made much more individual with the new digital options. This is a great opportunity that should not be dismissed so quickly! Our goal with the CABUU app was also to show what contemporary vocabulary learning could look like. You don't just read index cards, you use all your senses and are supported by a smart algorithm in the background. You can also continue learning offline, so you won't be distracted by messages. It really depends on how a medium is used and schools are still getting to grips with that. However, smartphones and tablets have enormous potential and I am confident that this will continue to develop.

In any case, it is certain that we are facing a digital revolution and absolutely must think about how we can save the tried and tested from the analog and use the new from the digital.

How will we learn vocabulary in the future?

At our stand at the didacta 2019 education fair in Cologne, many teachers came to us who were urgently looking for digital solutions such as our app for teaching. Unfortunately, the technical requirements are often not yet there, not to mention legal aspects and data protection. At the moment, the world of learning is changing and the digital world has yet to establish itself. It will certainly not remain purely analog, but too many students are already using apps and learning tools and are realizing that they are making better progress. In any case, it is certain that we are on the verge of a digital revolution and absolutely need to think about how we can save the tried and tested from the analog and use the new from the digital.

What else is planned at cabuu?

Next year, the CABUU app will be available for other languages such as French and Latin. In the long term, there are already concepts for other user groups. From the method Can someone who has to learn technical terms for continuing vocational training also benefit. This is the advantage of gestural learning: it can be used universally and can be successfully applied to a wide variety of target groups. This is also in line with my wish to make this wonderful method of learning available to as many people as possible.