System and method for simultaneous demonstration mouth movements together with visual presentation of an image that represents a letter(s) or word(s) being pronounced

• US 20070048694A1
• Filed: 08/15/2005
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Daniel Tepper
• Original Assignee: Daniel Tepper
• Inventors: Tepper, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US11/203,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20070048694A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/156
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/04 Speaking with audible presentation of the material to be studied G09B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/08 Printed or written appliances, e.g. text books, bilingual letter assemblies, charts

Abstract

A system and method for enabling simultaneous visualization of mouth movements and the letters or words being pronounced utilizes a series of flashcards, each containing on at least a first side of the card a representation of a letter or word, and each including a through hole shaped to enable an observer viewing the first side of the card to view the mouth of an instructor through the hole, while the card masks a portions of the instructor'"'"'s face in order to focus the observer'"'"'s attention on movements of the instructor'"'"'s mouth as the instructor pronounces the letter or word represented on the first face of the card.

Claims

1. A system for enabling simultaneous visualization of mouth movements and the letters or words being pronounced, comprising a series of flashcards, each containing on at least a first side of the card a representation of a letter or word, and each including a through hole shaped to enable an observer viewing the first side of the card to view the mouth of an instructor through the hole, while the card masks portions of the instructor'"'"'s face in order to focus the observer'"'"'s attention on movements of the instructor'"'"'s mouth as the instructor pronounces the letter, letter combination, word, or phrase represented on the first face of the card.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the representation of the letter, letter combination, or word includes the letter, letter combination, word, or phrase.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the representation of the letter, letter combination, or word includes a graphic image.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the through hole is an oval shaped cut-out having major and minor axis approximately equal to a width and height of a human mouth.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cards have dimensions large enough to cover at least a nose and eyes of a person when the person'"'"'s mouth is visible through the through hole.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second side of the card includes instructions for an instructor.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second side of the card includes a script.

8. A method for enabling simultaneous visualization of mouth movements and the letters or words being pronounced, comprising the steps of:

providing a series of flashcards, each containing on at least a first side of the card a representation of a letter or word, and each including a through hole shaped to enable an observer viewing the first side of the card to view the mouth of an instructor through the hole, while the card masks portions of the instructor'"'"'s face in order to focus the observer'"'"'s attention on movements of the instructor'"'"'s mouth as the instructor pronounces the letter or word represented on the first face of the card;

holding one of the cards up to the instructor'"'"'s face such that the instructor'"'"'s mouth is visible through the through hole; and

pronouncing the letter, combination of letters, or word represented on the first face for the card such that the instructor'"'"'s lip movements are visible through the through hole.

9. A pronunciation teaching flashcard, comprising

a generally planar body having dimensions sufficient to cover a portion of an instructor'"'"'s face;

a first surface having thereon a representation of a letter, letter combination, or word; and

a cutout having dimensions corresponding to a human mouth such that when the card is held up to the instructor'"'"'s face and the portion of the instructor'"'"'s face is hidden, an observer will see the representation of the letter, letter combination, and word together with the mouth of the instructor as the instructor pronounces the letter, letter combination, or word.