Membean is an easy-to-use, cognitive science-based vocabulary learning platform for grades 6-12. Offering personalized instruction that adapts to individual students’ needs, the program builds long-term word knowledge, preparing students for success in school and in life. Key features of Membean include:
● Multimodal learning: We present 9 different ways to learn every word, creating strong and diverse connections in the brain. Students learn meaning and usage, and they develop a nuanced understanding of their words.
● Retrieval Practice: We ask a lot of questions—more than any other vocabulary program. Many of them are difficult. When the mind works hard, it's rewarded with durable learning.
● Intelligent Spacing: We strategically space words over time to push the limits of memory. Allowing some forgetting makes relearning more effective and leads to stronger retention.
● Monitoring with Reinforcement: We're constantly monitoring progress and reinforcing words accordingly. We make the most of training time by predicting which words need a little nudge and which ones can wait.
● Differentiation & Personalization: Every learner is different. We adapt to their individual pace, strengths, and needs to optimize learning and engagement. This builds a rich, nuanced vocabulary that's meaningful and lasting.
Formats:
Membean supports most modern browsers. You’ll find that Google Chrome will perform faster than others. We also recommend Firefox. However, if your school is already set up with Internet Explorer 8 or newer, Membean will work well.
Any operating system will also work well with Membean, whether you are using Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, Linux, BSD, etc. You just need to be able to run a browser.
Primary URL
Problem solved:
Vocabulary fluency constitutes one of the key pillars of literacy, along with reading comprehension and writing. Promoting vocabulary growth is a demanding task for teachers — it’s extremely time and labor intensive.
An effective vocabulary program must go beyond just teaching definitions — it must spark curiosity in students so they learn to love words and become independent learners. It must build a “usable vocabulary” that will not be forgotten quickly and last a lifetime. It must emphasize learning efficiency since classroom time is valuable and limited. It must adapt to every student.
Membean is a vocabulary program that delivers personalized, differentiated instruction that is automatically tailored to each student’s skill level, prioritizing higher order thinking over memorization.
Grade/age range:
Membean is available for grades 6-12.
Core/supplemental/special needs/extracurricular/professional development:
Membean is a supplemental vocabulary training program that can be used alongside core ELA curriculum.
Topics:
Membean supports English Language Arts learning standards by providing a curated, multimodal vocabulary learning platform, focusing on academic and domain-specific terms, root words and affixes, and word-meaning nuances like connotation and denotation, directly supporting targeted standards in language, writing, and reading development.
Membean maintains the highest standards for educational content, ensuring age appropriateness, cultural sensitivity, and professionalism for schools worldwide. Our content provides relevant context and scaffolding for all words and is developed with rigorous internal standards.
Lesson time needed:
Membean recommends shorter, more frequent training sessions spread across multiple days. We recommend teachers have students practice on Membean for at least 15 minutes on 3 separate days, for a minimum of 45 minutes each week.
Pricing model:
Membean costs less than traditional vocabulary books used in classrooms and is differentiated for each student, making it more effective and engaging than traditional methods.
We follow a tiered pricing model, so it's less per student when you have several classes using the program. The annual per student rate ranges from $8-20 depending on the size of your purchase.
Reach out to us if you have a unique situation or would like to discuss the specifics of pricing at your school. We’re happy to work with you!
What makes your product unique?
Membean combines differentiated instruction, personalization, active memory reinforcement, and insightful teacher analytics into a single unique learning environment.
At Membean, our philosophy is to move beyond teaching words and toward building word consciousness, which involves curiosity and interest in learning and using words well, knowledge of how words work, and disposition for learning new words. Learn more about how Membean accomplishes this in our Word Consciousness Webinar.
Genuine curiosity about words stems from the differentiation, personalization, and rigor built into the core of Membean. Students build confidence and competence with words when they are learning in their zone of proximal development, or, as we like to call it, their Goldilocks Zone. When students feel both challenged and successful, they are more likely to be excited about and take ownership of their learning. Read more about what sets Membean apart in this article.
Characteristics:
Membean is a curated framework of best practices to systematically teach vocabulary and foster word consciousness. Where possible, we incorporate best practices from published quantitative studies on both vocabulary and learning. Where quantitative research is unavailable, we draw from qualitative studies. In areas lacking formal research, we synthesize published expert opinions from vocabulary and learning researchers, balanced with practical insights on vocabulary instruction from frontline classroom teachers.
Additional information on our instructional design practices and the research behind Membean can be found here.
User reviews:
“My students are proud of their writing because they have been able to choose a precise word to communicate what they want to say. That's authentic learning, and Membean has made it possible.” - Amy Wampler, 9th Grade English Teacher, Faith Christian School, Grapevine, TX
“Membean has increased literacy in all subjects – its impact isn’t limited to English classes or test scores. It allows our students to learn, analyze, and communicate using higher forms of vocabulary in any subject.” - Anthony Corsi, ELA Curriculum Director, Community High School District 218, Oak Lawn, IL
“This is an individualized space, but we don't have to worry about making sure that everyone gets what they need. Because of the way [Membean] works, we know that they are.” - Tahira Chandler, Membean Elective Teacher (9-12), New Manchester High School, Douglasville, GA
“Show me something better! We have 24 people in this department always looking for something to help our kids. We haven't seen anything better than Membean!” - Jackie Wagner, 12th Grade English Teacher, Beaumont High School, Beaumont, CA
