Education and demonstration – Language
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-12
2001-10-23
Rovnak, John Edmund (Department: 3712)
Education and demonstration
Language
C434S157000, C434S167000, C434S169000, C434S170000, C434S178000, C434S185000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305942
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an interactive system and method for increased comprehension, expression and recognition of English and other languages through representation and generation of sounds and words.
2. State of the Art
Fluency is defined as the ability to understand the ideas and views of others, spoken and written, and the ability to communicate ideas and views through speech and writing. There is a difference between simple recognition of words and the ability to read, write, listen, speak and think in a language. When people are fluent in a language, they begin to read to learn instead of learning to read. This is a large advantage to the person and society.
The Biblical story of the “Tower of Babel” teaches that to understand one another people must communicate with each other, that communication is a prerequisite to cooperation, and that cooperation is an essential characteristic of a healthy and successful society. Only by communicating can people share experiences, teach and learn from one another, dispel fear of the unknown and improve their lives and their society.
It should be understood, however, that the need for a shared language is not a call for one language, or for one culture. Maintaining ethnic, racial and cultural diversity is important for a healthy, vibrant, successful world. For example, diversity has helped to build America and is as important to its future as it was to its past. However, diversity must not doom Americans to live in a Tower of Babel, unable to communicate and cooperate.
In the United States, the common shared language is English. It is important that all Americans read, write, listen, speak and think in English. Just as a musician's instrument must be tuned for the music to be enjoyed, a thought must be expressed correctly for it to be understood. The English language is also used throughout the world in a wide range of areas such as science, technology, medicine, finance, diplomacy and world trade. People with good English skills have a large advantage over people without such skills: they get a better education, better jobs, make more money and live better lives. Literate people can learn math, history science and other subjects that illiterate people find daunting, if not impossible. Additionally, both attitude and self-confidence improve when a person becomes fluent in a language.
In the United States, low student test scores in English Language Arts makes it evident that there is a need for an effective English Language Arts Program for kindergarten through fourth grade, remedial and educationally handicapped students and for students whose native language is other than English.
In the past, there have several attempts to provide methods and systems to better a person's command of an unknown language. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,537, U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,842, U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,826, U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,180, U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,159, U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,671, U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,111, U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,338 U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,163, U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,731, U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,326, U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,201, U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,373, U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,205 all describe ways of teaching different languages. However, none of these patents are directed to a system for increased language comprehension through interactive representation, generation and recognition of sounds, words and sentences.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a comprehensive English language learning system and methodology. An interactive procedure for learning English is provided that can be applied in both public and private schools as well as home study and in adult education programs. It can be used, for example, to teach primary English, to teach English as a second language (ESL) and to improve language skills of remedial educationally handicapped students.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a system for representing, generating and recognizing sounds is provided which comprises at least one means for presenting a plurality of sounds, each of said sounds being visually represented by text, and at least one sound generating means for audibly producing the sound corresponding to said visually represented sound, wherein each sound is depicted visually using a highlighting cursor.
Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a system for representing, generating and recognizing words. The system comprises: at least one means for presenting words, wherein each of said words further comprises at least one sound, each of said sounds being visually represented, and at least one word generating means for audibly producing the sounds corresponding to said visually represented word, wherein each sound of said word is depicted visually using a highlighting cursor.
In yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention a method for increasing language comprehension is disclosed which comprises: displaying at least one sound to be viewed; highlighting said sound; displaying said at least one sound within a word while presenting an associated picture described by said word; and highlighting sound within said word.
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Block Robert S.
Loye Robert D.
Swan Margot
Burns Doane Swecker & Mathis L.L.P.
MetaLearning Systems, Inc.
Rovnak John Edmund
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