Language learning system

• US 8,272,873 B1
• Filed: 10/12/2001
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Progressive Language, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Progressive Language, Inc.
• Inventors: Keller, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Mosser, Kathleen
• Application Number:
  US09/976,775
• Time in Patent Office: 4,001 Days
• Field of Search: 434156-185
• US Class Current: 434/169
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/06 Foreign languages with audible presentation of material to be studied G09B5/04

Abstract

Computer software for language analysis and material design, and a method of natural language training, comprising: receiving a plurality of texts in a predetermined natural language; establishing one or more groups of core words of the natural language; and compiling teaching materials that comprise at least a predetermined percentage of words that are within one or more of the groups. At least one of the groups comprises high frequency words in the natural language.

Claims

1. A method of natural language training, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a plurality of texts in only a single predetermined natural language;

automatically analyzing the plurality of texts to compile a list of words and phrases sorted by one or more characteristics;

establishing from the list one or more groups of core words of the same natural language; and

compiling teaching materials in the same natural language that comprise at least a predetermined percentage of words that are within one or more of the groups.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the groups comprises high frequency words in the natural language.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein at least one of the groups comprises high frequency words in a topical domain of the natural language not overlapping with the group comprising the high frequency words in the natural language.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the compiling step comprises providing to a student one or more of the plurality of materials comprising a percentage of words of the materials within one or more of the groups above a predetermined percentage.

5. The method of claim 4 additionally comprising the step of displaying one or more of the plurality of materials with words within one or more of the groups of core words.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more of the core words comprises a structure selected from the group consisting of phrases, linguistic structures, and linguistic patterns.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more of the core words comprises a plurality of words mapped to a single word.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the compiling step comprises providing to a student a time period'"'"'s materials which collectively comprise a percentage of words within one or more of the groups above a predetermined percentage.

9. A method of natural language training, the method comprising the steps of:

developing a language core of words in only a single natural language from automatically analyzing current sources of language usage for one or more characteristics;

developing material in the same natural language that utilizes the language core to a predetermined percentage; and

analyzing the material over time to verify that it utilizes the language core to the predetermined percentage.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the language core is determined from a high frequency language set.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the high frequency set is made of one or more structures selected from the group consisting of words, phrases, linguistic structures, linguistic patterns, idioms, and collocations.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein an individual program will contain at least 60% of its content from the language core.

13. The method of claim 9 that utilizes at least 70% of the language core over a course of a week'"'"'s worth of programs.

14. The method of claim 9 that utilizes at least 80% of the language core over the course of a month'"'"'s worth of programs.

15. The method of claim 9 additionally comprising the step of developing a library of programs from daily programs.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the programming is multimedia.

17. The method of claim 16 additionally comprising the step of supplementing the multimedia programming with materials selected from the group consisting of previews, reviews, transcripts, cultural notes, and grammatical notes.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the multimedia programming comprises language used in natural settings selected from the group consisting of news, drama, interviews, and topical materials.

19. The method of claim 9 additionally comprising the step of making the programming available on a network selected from the group consisting of the Internet and Intranets.

20. The method of claim 9 additionally comprising the step of enabling a user to build a customized curriculum by building their own language core.

21. The method of claim 9 additionally comprising the step of testing and tracking a user'"'"'s knowledge of the language core over time.

22. The method of claim 9 wherein the language core comprises not only a high frequency set but also a set based on knowledge selected from the group consisting of cultural and historical knowledge.

23. A language program comprising:

computer software stored on a computer-readable medium for automatically developing a language core with one or more characteristics from only a single predetermined natural language; and

computer software stored on a computer-readable medium which permits users to analyze texts in the same natural language against the language core to determine its level of applicability to the language core.

24. A method of natural language teaching, the method comprising the steps of:

providing computer software stored on a computer-readable medium for receiving and automatically analyzing for one or more characteristics a plurality of texts in only a single predetermined natural language to create an ordered list of words and phrases;

establishing a language core from the ordered list in the same natural language that is general in nature;

establishing one or more topical language cores from an ordered list developed by automatically analyzing a different plurality of texts in the same natural language;

combining the general core and the topical cores to form an overall language core;

developing programming in the same natural language that utilizes the overall language core to a predetermined percentage; and

analyzing the programming over time to verify that it utilizes the overall language core to the predetermined percentage.