The Miaru blog
Stories, product news and learning tips from the team behind Miaru.
8 min read
Hangul in a Day? How Miaru Teaches the Korean Alphabet
Why Hangul is one of the easiest alphabets to learn, what research says about learning to read it, and how Miaru's 34-lesson Hangul unit teaches it.
- miaru
- korean
- hangul
7 min read
Comprehensible Input: What the Research Really Says
Is understanding lots of input all you need to learn a language? What Krashen claimed, what the research found, and how to use input, output and feedback.
- learning-science
- input
- speaking
6 min read
Streaks, XP and the Leaderboard: How They Work in Miaru
How Miaru's day streak, streak freezes, XP and weekly leaderboard work, what habit research says about missed days, and how to use them well.
- miaru
- habits
- motivation
8 min read
Kanji Mnemonics: Do Memory Stories Really Work?
Breaking kanji into parts and tying them together with a story helps you remember them. What six studies found, the catch, and how to use it.
- learning-science
- japanese
- kanji
7 min read
Watch, Then Write: How Miaru Teaches Stroke Order
Every kana and kanji card in Miaru draws itself stroke by stroke. What the research says about writing by hand, and how to practice along.
- japanese
- kanji
- writing
6 min read
Interleaving vs. Blocking: Why Mixed Practice Sticks
Practicing one thing at a time feels best, but mixing often wins. What research says about interleaving, and when it helps language learners.
- learning-science
- interleaving
- grammar
6 min read
Inside a Miaru Lesson: Why Every Exercise Makes You Recall
Flashcards, look-alike choices, match boards and sentence tiles: what each Miaru exercise asks of you, and the memory research behind it.
- miaru
- retrieval-practice
- learning-science
7 min read
Is There a Critical Period for Language? What the Data Says
Is it too late to learn a language as an adult? What studies of 669,498 speakers, immigrants and classrooms say about age, accent and learning speed.
- learning-science
- age
- pronunciation
8 min read
Luffy Is Calling: How Speaking Practice Works in Miaru
Everyday Conversations turns lessons into calls with Luffy: say your lines out loud, get each one scored on your phone, try again. Here's how it works.
- miaru
- speaking
- pronunciation
8 min read
Sleep on It: How Sleep Helps You Remember New Words
Sleep after studying helps new words stick, and timing matters. What the research says, and how to plan your study day around a good night's sleep.
- learning-science
- memory
- vocabulary
7 min read
How Miaru Brings Your Words Back, Right on Time
What happens to a word after you learn it in Miaru: its own review schedule, gaps that grow from 1 day to 6 to 15, and what your answers change.
- spaced-repetition
- miaru
- learning-science
7 min read
How Many Words Do You Need to Speak a Language?
Native speakers know tens of thousands of words. You need far fewer to talk. What research on word coverage says, and which words to learn first.
- learning-science
- vocabulary
7 min read
Retrieval Practice: Why Testing Yourself Beats Rereading
Rereading feels like learning, but pulling a word out of memory is what makes it stick. What the research shows, and how to practise recall every day.
- learning-science
- retrieval-practice
- vocabulary