Education and demonstration – Language – Spelling – phonics – word recognition – or sentence formation
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-09
2004-05-04
Rovnak, John Edmund (Department: 3714)
Education and demonstration
Language
Spelling, phonics, word recognition, or sentence formation
C434S178000, C434S185000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06729882
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention described herein is a personal computer based instructional program on the sound patterns of American English. Teachers are the anticipated primary users. Teachers can use the program in a self-teaching fashion to discover a variety of facts about word sounds and structure perhaps not already known or to refresh those facts on the subject that were once well known. After teachers become acquainted with the program operation and information, they can use it as an instructional tool for their students. Hereafter, the invention is alternately referred to as the LearnWords Device.
Formal education in the sound patterns of American English starts in the first grade when a student is introduced to written letters and proceeds throughout all academic levels. The various phases of acquiring sound pattern knowledge are summarized below:
1. Phonemic awareness—Making a first grade student aware that the sound of a word can be subdivided into smaller units. For example, that the word cat(kat) consists of three sounds: an initial sound, |k|; a middle sound, |a|; and a final sound, |t|.
2. Grapheme awareness—A child must be taught about letters—the alphabet—and that words can be represented by letter combinations.
3. Alphabetic awareness—Informing the child of the relationship between the sounds of a word and the letters of a word. This relationship is known as the alphabetic principle.
4. Phonetic awareness—The student is instructed in various consonant and vowel sounds and learns how to blend sounds to make the sound of a word.
5. Syllabification—After the child is reasonably well acquainted with letter/sound correspondences in one-syllable words, he is made aware that larger words are made up of syllables.
6. Words and syntax—Following introduction to the above underlying word sound principles, the child is shown by simple examples how words go together to form sentences.
7. Morphological awareness—Early on in his reading skill development the child is taught that adding parts to words can change the word's meaning. Teaching the student how to form plurals, possessives, and tenses by using inflectional suffixes starts this phase.
8. Word structure—In the middle grades a student is introduced to the uses of prefixes and suffixes in forming complex words and also made aware of word stress patterns.
9. Technical lexicon—As the student progresses to high school and college level, he is exposed to a broad range of vocabulary associated with various academic fields of study.
As the above phases indicate the study of English sound patterns is a continuous process from the start to the end of one's schooling. Academic instruction on word sounds is done both directly and indirectly.
In the first two or three years of schooling a child is directly instructed in letters, sounds, words, syllables, and reading. From this point on until a student reaches the last two years of high school almost all instruction on English sound patterns is done indirectly. The student learns the sounds of new words as the teacher uses them. The student may glean pronunciation information when he is introduced to parts of speech, affixations, and technical vocabulary. The student is also taught how to use the dictionary and phonetic spellings. On occasion, he may have a teacher who gives him supplemental information on the sound patterns of English to help him master some difficult words, particularly for spelling.
In the last two years of high school, if the student is enrolled in an academic or college preparatory curriculum, he may be required to take a course that directly addresses phonology, morphology, and word structure.
At the University level, a student majoring in Linguistics will receive much direct instruction in the sound patterns of English. Students majoring in English, teaching, and some technical fields may be required to take courses in word structure. Reading teachers may also get direct instruction in the use of phonics for teaching reading.
By and large, any direct instruction of sound patterns of English for most students is given in the first and last few years of their formal education. In the middle years instruction is indirect and based on knowledge that the teacher can directly present.
The situation is different for foreign students entering the school system. These students must master a large part of the English sound system in order for indirect instruction to be relevant. These students are given a lot of direct instruction in the English sound system regardless of their grade level to help them catch up with native speakers.
A demand for alternate instructional resources outside the normal educational system has resulted due to the heavy reliance on indirect instruction on the sound patterns of English. The four major areas where alternate instructional resources are available are:
1. Phonics reading programs,
2. Word power development programs,
3. English language programs, and
4. Talking dictionary programs.
People who feel that their school system is not placing enough emphasis on phonics or who feel that their child did not master the subject over the short span of time phonics was presented turn to the commercial market for help. “HOOKED ON PHONICS®” is an example of a widely advertised program for reading through the knowledge of phonics. At most computer stores a parent can buy inexpensive phonics programs supplied on computer discs. Inexpensive programs are also available on cassette tape.
While most of these programs are beneficial, a young child is not intellectually mature enough to apply the concepts presented to a meaningful reading situation. Unless the child's parents are able to help him make this transfer the program benefits as a reading-skills training device will be marginal.
The word power development programs are used by adults who either were unable to master sound patterns and word pronunciation from an indirect instructional approach used in formal schooling or, perhaps, were never given exposure to a technical lexicon for which they now have a need. These programs are presented in text, tape, and computer disc format. These programs can be helpful depending on the diligence of the user.
English language learning programs, for non-English speakers, are available in text, on cassette tape, and on computer disc. They can be very useful for anyone that does not have access to a school. Even in a classroom environment tapes and discs can be used to advantage in accustoming the listener's ear to different voices other than the teacher.
Talking dictionaries on computer discs are a relatively new approach for learning to pronounce words. Their use can be extremely valuable in building word power for an individual. The value of the talking dictionary is substantially increased when it is incorporated with another program that provides selected words or word lists that illustrate fundamental concepts of pronunciation.
The LearnWords Device is not a competitor to the above mentioned conventional self-teaching language programs. In fact the LearnWords Device can supplement and increase the value of the four types of programs discussed above.
The primary purpose of the LearnWords device is to provide teachers a self-teaching program on the sound patterns of English to improve both their direct and indirect instruction on word sounds and pronunciation.
Teachers who have not been exposed to academic work covering the sound pattern of English or teachers who want a quick refresher course on the subject can obtain meaningful self-training with the LearnWords Device. By the use of database techniques the teachers can explore at their pace a myriad of sound patterns covering elementary words to highly technical vocabulary.
After teachers have seen and tried the capabilities of the LearnWords Device, they can use the tools available to provide their students an enhanced word learning experience.
For example, if some students are having a difficult time mastering the pronunciat
LandOfFree
Phonetic instructional database computer device for teaching... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Phonetic instructional database computer device for teaching..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Phonetic instructional database computer device for teaching... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3192675