Method and apparatus for automated training of language learning skills

• US 7,101,185 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2005
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Application Number:
  US11/115,994
• Publication Number:
  US 20050196733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 434/118, 434156-158, 434167-169, 434/307.R, 434/322, 434/323, 434/362, 434/365, 434/236, 704/251, 704/260, 715/530, 715/533
• US Class Current: 434/169
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 17/00 Teaching reading teaching lip-reading G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F

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 retrieve appropriate letter-sound correspondences to complete partially spelled words, the method comprising:

aurally presenting on the computing device a word to student;

graphically presenting on the computing device the word to the student, the graphically presented word missing at least one letter from one of a plurality of letter categories;

graphically presenting the missing at least one letter to the student for selection;

also graphically presenting a plurality of foil letters to the student for selection, wherein the plurality of foil letters presented to the student are selected from among a plurality of foil letters belonging to the same letter category; and

requiring the student to select from the graphically presented missing at least one letter and the graphically presented plurality of foil letters to spell the graphically presented word.

2. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 1 wherein the computing device is a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, or any computing device that is capable of producing aural and graphical information, and receiving input indicating selection.

3. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of aurally presenting a word to the student comprises acoustically presenting the word to the student via speakers.

4. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 3 wherein the word is pre-recorded on the computing device.

5. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 3 wherein the word is generated by the computing device.

6. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 1 wherein the missing at least one letter is missing from the beginning, middle, or end of the graphically presented word.

7. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 1 wherein the missing at least one letter comprises two or more letters, the two or more letters are adjacent to each other.

8. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 1 wherein the missing at least one letter comprises a consonant.

9. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 1 wherein the missing at least one letter comprises a short vowel.

10. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 1 wherein the missing at least one letter comprises a long vowel.

11. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 1 wherein the missing at least one letter comprises two or more consonant.

12. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 1 wherein the missing at least one letter comprises a consonant blend.

13. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 1 wherein the missing at least one letter comprises a digraph.

14. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 1 wherein, if the graphically presented missing at least one letter comprises a short vowel, the plurality of foil letters comprise short vowels.

15. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of requiring comprises:

requiring the student to manipulate an input on the computing device to select one of the graphically presented letters as a selection to complete the spelling of the graphically presented word;

determining whether the student correctly or incorrectly spelled the word based on their selection; and

recording the selection.

16. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

repeating said steps aurally presenting thru requiring, N times;

wherein N is a number.

17. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of repeating is performed utilizing a plurality of different words.

18. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 17 wherein said step of repeating is performed N times where the missing at least one letter and the plurality of foil letters are within a predefined category.

19. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 16 wherein the predefined category comprises beginning consonants.

20. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 19 wherein the predefined category comprises ending consonants.

21. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 19 wherein the predefined category comprises short vowels.

22. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 19 further comprising:

after said step of repeating is performed N times, evaluating whether the student correctly spelled the presented words at least Y % of the time;

wherein Y is a number.

23. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 18 further comprising:

advancing the student to a next processing level if the student correctly spelled the presented words at least Y % of the time.

24. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 22 wherein the next processing level contains a plurality of predefined categories, each more difficult than those in the previous processing level.

25. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 24 further comprising:

after said step of advancing, repeating said step of repeating.

26. A method on a computing device for training a student to spell a plurality of words by requiring the student to fill in missing letters, the missing letters belonging to a plurality of categories, the plurality of categories including single consonants, consonant blends, and vowels, the method comprising:

on the computing device, selecting a category for presentation to the student, the category from among the plurality of categories;

on the computer device, presenting the selected category to the student, said steps of presenting comprising;

selecting a word from a plurality of words for testing in the selected category;

aurally presenting to student the selected word;

graphically presenting to the student the selected word, the graphically presented word having at least one missing letter;

graphically presenting to the student for selection the at least one missing letter;

also graphically presenting to the student a plurality of foil letters from the selected category;

requiring the student to select from among the graphically presented at least one missing letter and the plurality of foil letters to complete the spelling of the graphically presented word;

recording whether the student correctly spelled the graphically presented word by selecting the at least one missing; and

repeating said steps of selecting a word thru recording;

evaluating whether the student has correctly spelled Y % of the presented words in said step of presenting;

wherein Y is a number; and

repeating said steps of selecting a category and presenting the selected category, for a different one of the plurality of categories, if the student correctly spelled Y % of the presented words in the previously presented category.

27. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 26 wherein within each of the plurality of categories there is a plurality of levels.

28. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 27 wherein for the single consonants, the plurality of levels comprise beginning consonants and ending consonants.

29. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 28 wherein for the consonant blends, the plurality of levels comprise beginning consonant blends and ending consonant blends.

30. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 28 wherein for the vowels, the plurality of levels comprise short vowels and long vowels.

31. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 27 further comprising:

repeating said steps of evaluating and repeating until all of the plurality of categories have been presented.

32. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 27 wherein if in said step of evaluating it is determined that the student has not correctly spelled Y % of the presented words, repeating said step of presenting the selected category.

33. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 32 wherein said step of repeating said step of presenting the selected category is performed until the student has correctly spelled Y % of the presented words.

34. The method on a computing device as recited in claim 33 wherein said step of repeating said step of presenting the selected category is performed a maximum of Z times if the student does not correctly spell Y % of the presented word;

wherein Z is a number.