Method and apparatus for automated training of language learning skills

• US 20020076675A1
• Filed: 09/26/2001
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scientific Learning Corp. (Carnegie Learning, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific Learning Corp. (Carnegie Learning, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, Steven L., Jenkins, William M., Mann, Virginia A., De Ley, Logan E., Cottle, Elizabeth C., Budra, Elizabeth H., Dewey, Jefferson A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,726,486 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/167
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 17/003 electrically operated apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/04 Speaking with audible presentation of the material to be studied G09B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/06 of the multiple-choice answer-type, i.e. where a given question is provided with a series of answers and a choice has to be made from the answers

Abstract

A computer program for execution on a computing device is provided to cross-train students in language development skills such as letter-word correspondence, word recognition, vocabulary, and sentence and paragraph comprehension. A set of programs provide an adaptive methodology for training a student in decoding (semantic, syntactic, phonological, and morphological relationships), knowledge of rhymes, synonyms, antonyms, and homophones, spelling, letter-word correspondences, sentence comprehension, grammatical comprehension, working memory, vocabulary, paragraph comprehension, and improved reading comprehension. In each program, students are presented with an animated scene that poses a question, and a set of answers. The set of answers contain a correct response, and a number of incorrect responses or foils. The student advances to more complex levels by satisfying predetermined correct thresholds. Through repetition and intensity, the student'"'"'s language skills are developed.

Claims

1. A method on a computing device for training a student to decode words into a plurality of categories, comprising:

a) providing a plurality of categories, each having a plurality of words associated with them;

b) providing on the computer, a graphical setting onto which two or more of the categories are presented;

c) graphically presenting one of the plurality of words, from one of the two or more of the presented categories to the student;

d) requiring the student to categorize the presented one of the plurality of words into one of the two or more of the presented categories, by indicating a selection of one of the two or more of the presented categories;

e) recording whether the student correctly categorized the presented one of the plurality of words into its associated category; and

f) repeating steps c) through e).

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the categories belong to one of a plurality of category types:

3. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the plurality of category types comprise:

Semantic;

Syntactic;

Phonological; and

Morphological.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of categories within a syntactic category type comprises:

nouns;

verbs;

adjectives; and

prepositions.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of categories within a phonological category type comprises:

has two syllables;

has the same vowel sound as ate;

has the “

s”

sound; and

has one consonant sound.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of categories within a morphological category type comprises:

is a plural noun;

is a possessive;

is a compound word;

a nd has a suffix that means happened in the past.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the graphical setting of step b) comprises an animated story that illustrates the process of categorization or sorting.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein step c) further comprises:

p1 c1) providing a first help box which, when selected by the student, provides a visual definition of the presented one of the plurality of words; and

c2) providing a second help box which, when selected by the student, aurally presents the one of the plurality of words to the student, via the computing device.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said step d) of indicating a selection of one of the two or more of the presented categories comprises:

mouse clicking on the selected one of the two or more of the presented categories.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said step d) further comprises:

d1) if the student correctly categorized the presented one of the plurality of words, auditorily indicating to the student that s/he was correct; and

d2) if the student incorrectly categorized the presented one of the plurality of words, visually indicating what should have been the correct categorization.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein said step d2) comprises:

visually highlighting the correct one of the two or more of the presented categories for the presented one of the plurality of words.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

g) after a predetermined number of trials (repeating steps c) through e)), determining if the student has correctly categorized presented words, for at least 90% of the trials.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 further comprising:

h1) if the student has correctly categorized the presented words for at least 90% of the trials, providing alternate ones of the plurality of categories in step a) for further training.

14. The method as recited in claim 12 further comprising:

h2) if the student has correctly categorized the presented words for at least 90% of the trials, increasing the number of the categories presented in step b) to three or more.

15. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

h3) if the student has correctly categorized a predetermined percentage of words for all of the plurality of categories, providing additional categories of a different type to training.

17. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein the category types comprise:

Semantic;

Syntactic;

Phonological; and

Morphological.

18. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein the first one of the plurality of category types is Semantic.

19. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein said steps b) through c) are presented by providing an animation scene on a display of the computing device.

20. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein the student is cross-trained by being training to categorize a number of words in different category types including semantic, syntactic, phonological and morphological categories.

16. A method on a computing device for cross-training a student to categorize a plurality of words into a plurality of categories, each of the plurality of categories associated within one of a plurality of category types, the method comprising:

a) selecting a first one of the plurality of category types for training;

b) presenting on the computing device two or more of the plurality of categories associated with the first one of the plurality of category types, as possible selections;

c) presenting on the computing device one of the plurality of words for categorization into one of the presented plurality of categories;

d) recording which of the presented plurality of categories has been selected by the student as a category for the presented one of the plurality of words;

e) repeating steps b) through d); and

f) after the student has correctly categorized a predetermined percentage of the plurality of words, selecting a second one of the plurality of category types for continued training.

21. A method on a computing device for training a student to categorize words into a plurality of categories, where the plurality of categories include a plurality of category types such as semantic, syntactic, phonological, and morphological, the method comprising:

a) presenting an animated scene representative of a sorting process;

b) within the animated scene, presenting two or more of the plurality of categories as possible selections for sorting words therein;

c) visually presenting the words to the student, for categorization/sorting into the presented two or more of the plurality of categories; and

d) after the student has correctly categorized a predetermined percentage of the words for a first category type, changing the category type for training to a second category type and repeating steps b) through c).

22. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein the computing device comprises a personal computer having an input device such as a mouse, a display for presentation of the animated scene, and speakers.

23. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein the animated scene representative of a sorting process provides an entertaining backdrop illustrative of sorting items into particular categories or bins.

24. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein said step b) further comprises:

b1) after the student has correctly categorized a second predetermined percentage of the words for the presented two or more of the plurality of categories, increasing the number of the plurality of categories that are presented to the student as possible selections for sorting words.

25. The method as recited in claim 24 wherein if the number of presented categories in said step b) is initially two, then said step b1) increases the number of presented categories to three.

26. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein said step c) further comprises:

c1) if the student requests clarification of the visually presented words, providing a definition box containing a written definition of the visually presented words.

27. The method as recited in claim 26 wherein said step c) further comprises:

c2) if the student requests further clarification of the visually presented words, auditorily presenting the visually presented words.

28. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein said step b) further comprises:

b1) if the student requests clarification of the presented two or more of the plurality of categories, auditorily presenting the two or more of the plurality of categories.

29. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein in said step c) the presented words are visually presented to the student, one at a time.