Reading teaching system

• US 4,397,635 A
• Filed: 02/19/1982
• Issued: 08/09/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Curtis A. Samuels
• Original Assignee: Curtis A. Samuels
• Inventors: Samuels, Curtis A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, William H.
• Application Number:
  US06/350,447
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 434/178, 434/308, 434/309, 434/310, 434/311, 434/312, 434/313, 434/314, 434/315, 434/316, 434/317, 434/318
• US Class Current: 434/178
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 17/00 Teaching reading teaching lip-reading G09B21/00

Abstract

A reading teaching system for use with an audio-visual projection device. Lines of a textual passage are displayed in the baseline display portion of a display area. As each word is spoken the corresponding word in the baseline display portion is also displayed in the main display portion of the display area. Several speech parameters are conveyed by the manner in which the chosen word is displayed. The loudness or volume is represented by the size of the chosen word while the pitch is represented by the height of the chosen word above the baseline display portion. The speed at which each word is spoken is indicated by the spacing of the letters of the chosen word in the main display portion. The temporal spacing between the words is indicated by the spacing between the chosen words in the main display area. Other speech parameters, such as mood, can be indicated by special coloration or configuration of the illustrated chosen word.

Claims

1. A method for teaching reading using an audio-visual projection device, said device including a visual display area, the method comprising the following steps:

displaying a set of baseline words at a baseline portion of the display area, said words made up of letters;

displaying a chosen baseline word at a main portion of the display area;

configuring said chosen word at said main portion according to a first speech parameter;

positioning said chosen word in said main portion according to a second speech parameter; and

selectively vocalizing said chosen word simultaneously with said chosen baseline word displaying step.

2. The teaching method of claim 1 wherein said baseline portion is along a lower edge of said main portion.

3. The teaching method of claim 1 wherein said first speech parameter is loudness and said configuring step further comprises the step of adjusting the size of said chosen word in proportion to the loudness of said vocalizing step for said chosen word.

4. The teaching method of claim 1 wherein said second speech parameter is pitch and said positioning step includes the step of vertically positioning said chosen word according to the pitch of said vocalizing step for said chosen word.

5. The teaching method of claim 1 wherein said configuring step further comprises the step of horizontally spacing the letters of said chosen word according to the speed at which said chosen word is vocalized during said vocalizing step.

6. The teaching method of claim 1 wherein the second displaying step includes the step of sequentially displaying said chosen words at said main portion.

7. The teaching method of claim 6 further comprising the step of spacing the baseline words along said baseline portion according to the temporal spacing between the vocalizing of said sequentially displayed chosen words.

8. The teaching method of claim 6 further comprising the step of spacing said sequentially displayed chosen words according to the temporal spacing between the vocalizing of said sequentially displayed chosen words.

9. The teaching method of claim 6 further comprising the step of retaining said sequentially displayed chosen words in an altered state at the display area.

10. The teaching method of claim 9 wherein said altered state is a reduced intensity state.

11. The teaching method of claim 1 wherein the first displaying step includes the step of sequentially displaying sets of baseline words at said baseline portion.

12. The teaching method of claim 11 further comprising the step of adjusting the speed at which said sets of baseline words are displayed.

13. The teaching system of claim 1 further comprising the step of configuring said chosen word according to a third speech parameter.

14. The teaching method of claim 13 wherein said third speech parameter is mood.

15. The teaching method of claim 1 wherein said configuring step includes the step of altering the size of an individual letter of said chosen word.

16. A method for teaching reading using an audio-visual projection device, said device including a visual display area, the method comprising the following steps:

sequentially displaying sets of baseline words at a baseline portion of the display area, said words made up of letters;

adjusting the speed at which said sets of baseline words are displayed;

sequentially displaying individual chosen baseline words at a main portion of the display area;

configuring said chosen words at said main portion according to a first speech parameter;

locating said chosen words in said main portion according to a second speech parameter; and

selectively vocalizing said chosen words simultaneously with said chosen baseline word displaying step.

17. The teaching method of claim 16 wherein:

said first speech parameter is loudness;

said configuring step further comprises the step of adjusting the size of said chosen word in proportion to the loudness of said vocalizing step for said chosen word;

said second speech parameter is pitch; and

said locating step includes the step of vertically positioning said chosen words according to the pitch of said vocalizing step for said chosen words; and

further comprising the step of;

spacing said chosen words according to the temporal spacing between the vocalizing of said chosen words.

18. The teaching method of claim 17 further comprising the step of horizontally spacing the letters of each said displayed chosen word according to the speed at which said chosen word is vocalized.