Bitextual, bifocal language learning system
First Claim
1. A language learning system for presenting a text in a first language to be learned by a person, the text in the first language being presented in a bitextual format to facilitate learning the first language, the system comprising:
- a study text based on the text in the first language, the study text being produced by dividing the text in the first language into associated chunks of meaning corresponding to units of thought; and
a teach text provided in a second language that is known to the person, the teach text being divided into chunks of meaning corresponding to the chunks of meaning of the study text, each chunk of the teach text being provided to relate the meaning of the associated chunk of the study text;
the study text having attributes that render the study text readily perceptible to the person and the teach text having attributes that render the teach text substantially imperceptible to the person when the person reads the study text, without requiring eyeglasses, the associated chunks of study text and teach text being in separate focal planes, the study text having a first size and being in a first focal plane and the teach text being in a second size smaller than the first size and thereby being in a second focal plane;
whereby the person can easily focus on the study text when viewed from a comfortable reading distance while forcing the person to physically move closer to refocus when in need of explanatory information supplied by the teach text.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for displaying dual texts in a manner to facilitate language learning, by presenting a highly visible “study text,” divided into individual units of thought, or “chunks of meaning,” which are preferably formatted in association with less visible units of a “teach text,” provided in proximity, preferably upon a separate focal plane, thus effecting a bitextual, bifocal presentation. The method and apparatus clearly relate the study text and the teach text, associating their individually related chunks of meaning, storing these associations in computer memory, as “.txt” or “Unicode equivalent” files, which, when organized into folders, allow computer programs to access these associations and automatically produce bitextual, preferably bifocal, presentations. These presentations can preferably be accessed in publications printed on paper, such as in books and magazines, and can also be accessed by users over a computer network, such as the Internet, and displayed.
161 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A language learning system for presenting a text in a first language to be learned by a person, the text in the first language being presented in a bitextual format to facilitate learning the first language, the system comprising:
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a study text based on the text in the first language, the study text being produced by dividing the text in the first language into associated chunks of meaning corresponding to units of thought; and
a teach text provided in a second language that is known to the person, the teach text being divided into chunks of meaning corresponding to the chunks of meaning of the study text, each chunk of the teach text being provided to relate the meaning of the associated chunk of the study text;
the study text having attributes that render the study text readily perceptible to the person and the teach text having attributes that render the teach text substantially imperceptible to the person when the person reads the study text, without requiring eyeglasses, the associated chunks of study text and teach text being in separate focal planes, the study text having a first size and being in a first focal plane and the teach text being in a second size smaller than the first size and thereby being in a second focal plane;
whereby the person can easily focus on the study text when viewed from a comfortable reading distance while forcing the person to physically move closer to refocus when in need of explanatory information supplied by the teach text. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification