METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TEACHING VOCABULARY

• US 20070134630A1
• Filed: 02/09/2007
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MIND Research Institute
• Original Assignee: MIND Research Institute
• Inventors: Bodner, Mark, Shaw, Gordon, Rodgers, Linda
• Granted Patent: US 9,852,649 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/169
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student

Abstract

A method using a spatial-temporal software game for both teaching math concepts to a child and for scoring the child'"'"'s proficiency in these math concepts. These scores are compared with the child'"'"'s performance on a language-based test of the math concepts. If the child'"'"'s score on the language-based test is lower than what is reflected by the child'"'"'s game scores, instruction is given the child using stories and flashcards related to the spatial-temporal software games so that the child will relate vocabulary terms with the math concepts and characters in the temporal-spatial software game.

Claims

1. A method of improving a student'"'"'s score on a language-based test in a subject,

teaching said subject by having the student play a spatial-temporal software game configured to teach the subject using animated characters and obtaining a score that assesses the student'"'"'s proficiency in the concepts embodied in the spatial-temporal game,

testing the student'"'"'s proficiency in said subject using a languagebased test directed to the subject taught by the spatial-temporal software,

comparing the game scores with the student'"'"'s score from the language-based test to determine if the test score reflects a proficiency lower than what is reflected by the student'"'"'s game scores,

using the comparison of game scores to language-based test scores to provide language and vocabulary instruction to said student concerning the language and vocabulary terms used in the language-based test, and

re-testing the student using a language-based test.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said language and vocabulary instruction includes using flashcards involving language and vocabulary terms of said language-based test.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said language and vocabulary instructions includes using stories in which the language and vocabulary terms of said languagbbased test are associated with one or more of the animated characters used in said spatial-temporal software game.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said re-test of the student evaluates the performance of the student after receiving said language and vocabulary instruction.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said re-test of the student evaluates the effectiveness of said language and vocabulary instruction.

6. A method for a teaching a child math vocabulary terms that correspond to math concepts that the child learns through the use of spatial-temporal software and for increasing the child'"'"'s performance on language-based math tests:

using spatial-temporal software, the software comprising math concepts and one or more character;

reading a story, the story comprising the math concepts and the one or more characters;

reviewing flashcards, the flashcards comprising the math concepts and the characters.

7. The method of claim 6:

wherein the spatial-temporal software comprises game concepts.

8. A computer-readable medium containing software that, when executed, causes the computer to perform the acts of:

executing software configured to teach a subject to a student using spatial-temporal concepts; and

associating language-based concepts tested by a language-based test to corresponding spatial-temporal concepts in the software; and

determining a language-based proficiency level in the subject by administering the language-based test to the student,

wherein the associating comprises displaying spatial-temporal features which are controllable by student input so as to teach the subject to the student.