AU2013101338A4 - A Teaching and Learning Aid - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract The present invention is an educational aid including: - a planar structure, and 5 - a base, and - a slot, and - a plurality of slidable objects. The planar structure has a front face and a rear face, and is placed within, or fixed to the base, the planar structure. When fixed or connected to the base, the planar 10 structure stands substantially vertically. Each face includes a slot, and each slot is continuous and includes the plurality of slidable objects. These objects are constrained to be slidable along the slot, but not removable from it. Each slidable object includes at least one display face that is capable of displaying information, such as alphabetic characters, or numerals, or colours and the like, which are capable of 15 entertaining and aiding the person in learning in various areas such as numeracy and literacy. Each slot is configured in such a way that the slidable objects can be re arranged with respect to each other for the entertainment of, and as an education aid to, a person. 18 7 3 i 11\9J 6 1

Description

1 AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT "A Teaching and Learning Aid" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 2 A Teaching and Learning Aid Field of the Invention 5 This invention relates to the field of educational aids to encourage and facilitate cognitive, numeracy, literacy and other developmental skills for children and mentally impaired individuals Background of the Invention 10 There are a large number of learning aids and toys on the market that assist in early learning and development of children in key areas such a basic literacy, co-ordination, cognitive and numeracy skills. It has been difficult to find a simple and effective non electronic aid that is strong in all these areas, and that is also able to be adapted to 15 cater for the person as he or she develops. Many of these aids are also suitable for use with mentally impaired people. It is an object of this invention to create an aid that can be used by both an instructor and/or caregiver, as well as being safe for a child, or metally impaired person, to use 20 as well, that is a useful aid in providing interactive mental and physical stimulation to the person, and enables them to learn through that interactive mental and physical stimulation as they grow and progress through the various stages of development. Summary of the Invention 25 Accordingly, the present invention is an educational aid including: - a planar structure, and - a base, and - a slot, and 30 - a plurality of slidable objects.

3 The planar structure has a front face and a rear face, and is placed within, or fixed to the base, the planar structure. When fixed or connected to the base, the planar structure stands substantially vertically. Each face includes a slot, and each slot is continuous and includes the plurality of slidable objects. These objects are 5 constrained to be slidable along the slot, but not removable from it. Each slidable object includes at least one display face that is capable of displaying information, such as alphabetic characters, or numerals, or colours and the like, which are capable of entertaining and aiding the person in learning in various areas such as numeracy and literacy. Each slot is configured in such a way that the slidable objects can be re 10 arranged with respect to each other for the entertainment of, and as an education aid to, a person. Preferably the slot goes completely through the planar structure, so that one set of slidable objects are utilised in the aid. 15 Preferably each slidable object has two display faces, and all the display faces that are visible on the front face of the planar structure display information of one type, such as alphabetical characters, and all the display faces on the rear face of the planar structure display information of a different type, such as minerals. 20 Preferably the slot includes a base portion near the base of the planar structure that extends substantially across the plane of the planar structure, and includes a vertical portion that extends substantially laterally to the base portion, up to a distance nearer to the top of the planar structure, whereat it connects to top portion that extends 25 substantially laterally to the vertical portion across the plane of the planar structure, at or near the top of the planar structure. There is at least one branch portion that extends substantially laterally to the vertical portion at a point between the base and top portions. 30 Preferably the planar structure is either completely, or partially detachable from the base, and the slot extends all the way to the edge of the planar structure so that when the planar structure is either completely, or partially, removed from the base, the 4 extended portion of the slot enables some, or all, of the slidable objects to be interchanged and/or removed or replaced with a different set of slidable objects, so that the aid can be modified as the person's development needs change. 5 The slidable objects are able to be moved, either by an instructor and/or care giver, or a person, about the aid via the slot, and the objects can be re-arranged in multiple arrangements to aid the person in learning fundamental literacy and numeracy concepts. 10 Brief Description of the Drawings In order that the invention may be more fully understood, there will now be described, by way of example only, preferred embodiments and other elements of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings where: 15 Figure 1 is a front view of the present invention Figure 2 is rear view of the present invention Description of Examples of the Invention and the Preferred Embodiment 20 Referring to Figure 1, we see the front face of the present invention which is a teaching and learning aid 1 that includes a planar structure 3. The planar structure 3 has a slot 5. Constrained within the slot are a plurality of slidable objects 7. These objects have a face that is capable of displaying information such as a letter of the alphabet, or a number, or a colour etc. It can be seen that due to the continuous nature 25 of the slot 5, the individual slidable objects 7 are able to be moved individually, and rearranged within the teaching aid 1, either by a caregiver and/or instructor, or by the person. The planar structure is supported on a base 9 and is held by the base 9 in a substantially vertical orientation. 30 As shown in the drawing, the slot 5 is continuous and contains a lower slot portion 11 that extends substantially horizontally across the bottom of the planar structure 3. The slot 5 also includes a substantially vertical slot portion 13 that extends up to the 5 upper end of the planar structure 3, and it connects to an upper slot portion 15, the upper slot portion 15 extends substantially horizontally across the upper end of the planar structure 3 in a similar way to the lower slot portion 11. Optionally the upper slot portion 15 has a plurality of detents 17 on its lower side as shown. Additionally, 5 there is at least one branch slot portion 19 (four are shown in Figure 1). These can be shaped in a variety of ways, such as letters of the alphabet, or numerals, or basic geometric shapes etc. Optionally, the slot 5 can have a slot extension 21 that extends downwardly as shown. 10 When the planar structure 3 is connected to the base 9, the base acts as a block to prevent the slidable objects 7 to be removed from the slot. This gives a caregiver, or instructor the opportunity to change out the slidable objects 7 to match the area of instruction associated with that learning session. 15 In the simplest form of the invention, the slot 5 extends all the way through the planar structure 5, and each slidable object 7 is double ended, and has respective faces which display information on each face of the planar structure 3. On one face there could be letters of the alphabet for example, and on the other side, there could be numbers for example. Other possibilities include simple geometric shapes, such as squares, 20 triangles and circles, and colours. In another form of the invention, the slot 5 does not pass all the way through the planar structure 3, and a set of slidable objects may appear on only one face of the planar structure 3, or two sets of slidable objects 7 are used, one set for each face of 25 the planar structure 5. In this embodiment, a slidable object 7 in each set can be moved independently on the planar structure 3, and at the same time. In Figure 2 we see the rear face of the present invention. In this embodiment, the four branch slot portions 19 are each respectively in the first four letters of the alphabet. 30 The teaching aid 1 is a two sided aid that is designed to teach young children and mentally impaired people, hand eye coordination skills, primary colour recognition 6 and numeracy and literacy, including the ability to undertake simple arithmetic and the creation of words. In very young children, from say around 6 mths to two or three years, the aid can 5 simply be used to move the objects around, teaching valuable hand eye coordination skills, or to teach them colours. As they get older, it can also be used to teach them problem solving skills. For example the children can be asked to group colours, perhaps in a certain area of the board, which means they may have to move some objects out of the way to achieve this. As they grow the aid can grow with them. 10 New sets of slidable objects 7 can be inserted into the slot 5. As shown in the figures, one side has numbers as an example, including plus, minus, division, multiplication and equal signs, which thereby allows children to not only learn basic numbers, but also as they progress, to make simple arithmetic equations, 15 and have the child supply answers. These can be set by teachers or parents or the children can set their own. The other side has letters of the alphabet which allows children to recognise and learn these letters and again as they progress they can make words from these letters. 20 Another option that is made possible by the inclusion of the slot extension 21 is that it provides the opportunity to insert additional slidable objects 5 to allow for extra numbers or letters to be inserted if/when required. For example if a word has two LL's or SS's additional slidable objects 5 that displays the required additional letter 25 can be inserted. Alternatively, a number of blank slidable objects 5 can be included in the set of objects, and these blank slidable objects 5 can have a rewritable coating included on their respective faces that an instructor or child can write on using an erasable pen or 30 the like, to complete a word or a number needed to complete a sum or answer to the sum.

7 While the above description includes the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that many variations, alterations, modifications and/or additions may be introduced into the constructions and arrangements of parts previously described without departing from the essential features or the spirit or ambit of the invention. 5 It will be also understood that where the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", are used in this specification, unless the context requires otherwise such use is intended to imply the inclusion of a stated feature or features but is not to be taken as excluding the presence of other feature or features. 10 The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

Claims (5)

1. An educational aid including: - a planar structure, and 5 - a base, and - a slot, and - a plurality of slidable objects, wherein the planar structure has a front face and a rear face, and is placed within, or fixed to the base, the planar structure stands substantially vertically, and each 10 face includes a slot, and each slot is continuous and includes the plurality of slidable objects, and these objects are constrained to be slidable along the slot, but not removable from it, and each slidable object includes at least one display face that is capable of displaying information such as alphabetic characters, or numerals, or colours and the like, which are capable of entertaining and aiding the 15 person in learning in various areas such as numeracy and literacy, and each slot is configured in such a way that the slidable objects can be re-arranged, with respect to each other for the entertainment of, and as an education aid to a person.

2. An educational aid as claimed in claim 1 wherein the slot goes completely through 20 the planar structure, so that one set of slidable objects are utilised in the aid.

3. An educational aid as claimed in claim 2 wherein each slidable object has two display faces, and all the display faces that are visible on the front face of the planar structure display information of one type, such as alphabetical characters, 25 and all the display faces on the rear face of the planar structure contain display information of a different type, such as numerals.

4. An educational aid as claimed in any previous claim, wherein the slot includes a base portion near the base of the planar structure that extends substantially across 30 the plane of the planar structure, and includes a vertical portion that extends substantially laterally to the base portion, up to a distance nearer to the top of the planar structure, whereat it connects to top portion that extends substantially 9 laterally to the vertical portion across the plane of the planar structure, at or near the top of the planar structure, and there is at least one branch portion that extends substantially laterally to the vertical portion at a point between the base and top portions. 5

5. An educational aid as claimed in claim 4 wherein the planar structure is either completely, or partially detachable from the base, and wherein the slot extends all the way to the edge of the planar structure so that when the planar structure is either completely or partially removed from the base, the extended portion of the 10 slot enables some, or all, of the slidable objects to be interchanged and/or removed or replaced with a different set of slidable objects, so that the aid can be modified as the person's development needs change. 15 Dated this 10th day of October 2013 Edward Backer by his patent attorneys Morcom Pernat