How Ankinity works
Ankinity turns two brilliant teacher-training flashcard decks into a living, infinite grid you can study in your browser. Under the hood it uses the same ideas as Anki, with a modern scheduling algorithm called FSRS. Here's what that means in plain English.
What is spaced repetition?
When you learn a fact, you start forgetting it almost immediately, unless you review it. Spaced repetition is a simple, proven idea: review each fact just before you're about to forget it. Get it right and the next review is pushed further out (days, then weeks, then months). Get it wrong and it comes back soon. Over time you remember far more while doing far less reviewing.
What is Anki?
Anki is the most popular free, open-source spaced-repetition app. You make (or download) decks of cards. Each card has a question on the front and an answer on the back. You look at the front, try to recall the answer, flip the card, and then honestly rate how it went: Again, Hard, Good, or Easy. Anki uses that rating to decide when to show you the card next. It's trusted by medical students, language learners, and, thanks to Barefoot TEFL Teacher, trainee English teachers preparing for the DELTA and DipTESOL.
What is FSRS?
FSRS (the Free Spaced Repetition Scheduler) is the algorithm that decides when each card is due. It's the modern successor to Anki's old SM-2 formula. For every card it keeps two numbers:
- Stability: how long your memory of the card will last before it needs refreshing. Each successful review makes it more stable, so intervals grow.
- Difficulty: how hard this particular card is for you. Harder cards are scheduled more cautiously.
From these, FSRS predicts the exact day your recall would drop to a target level (about 90%) and schedules the review for then, no sooner, no later. The result: you spend your time only on the cards that actually need it, and remember more with fewer reviews. When you rate a card in Ankinity, you'll see the four buttons preview how far each choice pushes the next review.
Already use Anki?
Great. You have two easy options. You can download Barefoot TEFL Teacher's original decks and import them straight into the Anki app on your computer or phone:
Get the decks from Barefoot TEFL Teacher →
Or, if you'd rather not install anything, just use Ankinity: the same cards, the same FSRS scheduling, studied in your browser on an infinite grid, with your progress synced across devices when you sign in. Whichever you prefer; the decks are the star.
How to study here
- Browse freely. Pan and zoom the grid, tap any card to read both sides. No account needed.
- Sign in to study. Cards that are due start to glow. Tap one, try to recall the answer, reveal it, and rate yourself. FSRS handles the rest.
- Colours group cards by module or unit so you always know where you are in the syllabus.
Flashcard decks created by Barefoot TEFL Teacher. Used with gratitude.