GB2223343A - Educational apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

An educational apparatus (e.g., for the teaching of spelling) following the LOOK, COVER, WRITE, CHECK learning procedure includes a flat sleeve member (30) having an array of apertures (2) in one surface and a laminar member (31) slidably mounted in the sleeve member and carrying a pad of paper sheets. A word to be learned is written on the top sheet through the top window in column 8. The member 31 is moved one place to the left to cover the word and the student writes the word in columns 10 and 12. Moving member 31 one further place to the left reveals the original word at column 6 and the students efforts can be checked at columns 9 and 11, the windows in these latter columns being covered with transparent material. <IMAGE>

Description

EDUCATIONAL APPARATUS.

his invention relates to educationai apparatus e.g., for the teaching of spelling.

It has been estimated that children only learn to spell about one new word for every twenty-five that they read.

This highlights te difference between locking at words and see; nq words and would indicate that spelling needs to be actively taught, as learning is jess effective if it arises one as a spontaneous by-product of reading.

Therefore as the ability to spell correctly is considered to be a learnable skill that depends on the pupil' student looking more intently at words than when reading, it follows that spelling capability is ennanced if a means is devised to train the learner to visualise words and reproduce them from memory. Additional evidence arising from educational research supports the view that the optimum methods of learning spelling involve the use of the visual senses (looking and writing ) rather than by employing an auditory means of teaching/learning that relies on the use of phonics.

According to the invention there is provided an educational apparatus including a flat generally rectangular sleeve member, having an array of apertures in one surface thereof and means for slidably mounting a writing surface in the said sleeve member, whereby that surface may be viewed within the apertures, wherein the said writing surface carriers information viewable to a user in some of the said apertures.whereby the user may write corresponding information on to the surface within one or more of the said apertures Use of the apparatus trains the learner towards learning autonorny and self correction by adopting a systematic approach, following the LOOK COVER WRITE CHECK method.The apparatus also enabies the teacher to know that the procedure is being carried out correctly, even when the learning activity is not directly supervised by the teacher.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate the construction of the educational apparatus and Figs. 3 to 8 illustrate the use of the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to Figs. z and 2, the educational apparatus includes a flat generally rectangular sleeve member 30 (Fig 1) and a paper holder 31 (Fig 2) so mentioned as to be a sliding fit in the sleeve member 30. Typically the sleeve member 30 and the paper holder 31 are formed of a plastic material or stiff card. In use the paper holder 31 is loaded with a pad of paper sheets.

Description of the sleeve member 30. Fig.1.

Rectangular apertures 2.are cut in the upper face of the sleeve member 30 so that when the paper holder 31. is oaded with paper arwd inserted into the sleeve the paper shows through each of the apertures The position or the apertures is governed by dividing the horizontaL dimension of the sleeve into e.g., nine equal parts. These nine divisions indicate the widths of nine vertical columns 1. . where are six equal sized apertures in each horizontal row 2.. each placed within the boundary of a vertical column. The spacing of these apertures is related to the overail horizontal dimension of the sleeve.

Subsequent rows of apertures are placed within the nine vertical columns, vertically in line with those in the first horizontal line 2 . The vertical distance between the apertures is not ,ritical and therefore the number of horizontal rows is variable, but rows should not coincide with the pockets in the paper holder 15. Fig. 2. or with the thumb grip Indentation 3. Fig. 1. which is cut in the left hand vertical edge of the upward face of the sleeve to enable the operator to grip the paper holder and pull it through the sleeve.

The paper holder is inserted into the sleeve to a line marked on the sleeve which is labelled PAPER HOLDER LINE, 4. Fig. 1.

The directions for the operation of the apparatus may be printed horizontally at the top of each column 5.-12.

These read from left to right COVER. 5., LOOK, 6., COVER, 7.

LOOK. 8., CHECK. 9., WRITE. 10.

CHECK. 11., WRITE. 12.

Columns COVER. 5., and COVER. 7., have no apertures. Columns LOOK. 6, LOOK. 8., CHECK. 9., CHECK. 11., WRITE. 10., WRITE. 12., all have rectangular apertures which are large enough within which to write spellings but should be contained within the dimension of the columns.

The column LOOK. 8. is outlined 13. Close to the thumb grip indentation 3. is the printed direction PULL HERE. 14.

Columns CHECKS. 9., CHECK. 11., may have -transparent plastic covering over the apertures to prevent the learner from writing in the wrong columns or altering the answers when checking.

Description of the paper holder 31. Fig.2.

The vertical dimension of the paper older is slightly smaller than that of the sleeve as would allow the holder to fit into the sleeve and permit an easy sliding movement. The horizontal dimension needs to be longer than the sleeve by an amount equal to the width of one column.

The holder has two pockets 15. along its two horizontal edges, to old the edges of a pad of paper in position.

The right hand vertical edge has a recovery tab 16. to restart the operation.

On one paper holder pocket is printed the direction for feeding the holder into the sleeve 17. There is a line marked on the pocket of the holder, a distance in from the right hand edge, equal to the width of one column 18.

One or more cuts may be made in the paper holder to provide liftable flanges 25. to hold correctly in position pads of paper of varying lengths. The length of the paper may not be longer than a measurement equal to the total widths of ten columns or shorter than a measurement equal to the total widths of eight columns.

Use of the apparatus of Figs. 1. and 2. is described in the following sequence of operations.

Fig 2. A pad of paper is placed into the paper holder, the horizontal edges of the paper being inserted into the pockets 15. and the ieft hand vertical edges may be fitted under a flange.

Fig. 3. a) The paper holder is slid into the sleeve in the direction indicated on the holder 17. It is alligned with PAPER HOLDER LINE. 4.

b) The teacher or learner writes the word to be learned in the first row in the aperture in the outlined column 13. under the heading LOOK 8.

r.) The learner looks and memorises the spelling.

d) The learner pulls the paper holder as shown 14.

within the sleeve for a distance equal to the width of one column to bring the right edge of the sleeve in line with the mark on the holder pocket 18.

Fig. 4. ej The word to be learned has now moved under the COVER 7. column.

f) The learner then has the facility to make up t:o two attempts to write the word correctly from memory in colums WRITE 10. and WRITE 12.

Fig. 5. g) The learner again pulls the paper holder as shown 14. within the sleeve for a distance equal to the width of one column so-that the right hand (continued) edge of the holder is in line with the right edge of the sleeve. The original word written by the teacher/learner appears in the LOOK 6. column and the learner's two written attempts to reproduce the spelling appear simultaneously in columns CHECK 9. and CHECK 11.

h) The learner checks the spelling and if unsuccessful, can look again at the word and attempt to commit it to memory.

Fig. 6. i? The learner again pulls the paper holder as shown 14., for a distance equal to the width of one column, within the sleeve. The original word disappears under the COVER 5. column. The learner can see his/her two former speiling attempts which become visible in the columns LOOK 8. and WRITE iO., so former errors should not be reproduced. The learner has the opportunity to make a third attempt to produce the correct spelling in column WRITE 12.

Fig. 7. j) The learner pulls the paper holder as formerly for a width of one column. The original word appears outside the sleeve at the left hand edge. The third spelling attempt appears in the column CHECK 11.

k) Ensuring that the paper holder flange 25. is guided under the left hand edge of the sleeve. the recovery tab 16. is pulled to return the paper holder to the PAPER HOLDER LINE 4. to restart the operation on the next horizontal line of apertures. either for repeated learning of the same word o (if successful) for learning a new word.

1) When all horizontal lines have been worked the paper holder is removed and the completed sheet can b placed under the pad in the holder for future reference.

m) The process is repeated width each new sheet of paper.

Fig. 8. When the learner writes the spellIng from memory the written answers are locate in three columns indicated 19. 20. 21. Fig. 8. If the learner's answers appear in the spaces between tnese columns as indicated 22. 23. 24. Fig. 8., the teacher knows tnat the original word was not covered and the learner wrote when it was visible and not from memory. The transparent piastic covering the apertures in the columns CHECK S. ana CHECK 11. prevents the learner from inserting the correct answers in the columns 19. 20. 21. when the original word is visible.

It vill be appreciated that although the educational apparatus has been described above with particular reference to the reaching/learning of spelling, iL is not limited to this application but may also be used for other teaching purposes.

Claims (1)

1. An educational apparatus including a flat sleeve member

having an array of apertures in one surface thereof and a aminar member slidably mounted within the sleeve member nd carrying information viewable to a user within some of ,he said apertures, the laminar member further incorporating writing surface whereby, in use, the user may write in one rmore other said apertures information corresponding to viewed information.

t. An educational apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein bome said apertures are covered by a transparent material.

3. An educational apparatus as claimed in Claims 1 and 2, wherein said laminar member comprises a pad of a quantity of paper sheets.

4. An educational apparatus as claimed in Claims 1, 2, and Claim 3, wherein the laminar member is supported and carried slidably mounted in the sleeve member.

5. An educational apparatus as claimed in Claims 1, 2, 3, and Claim 4, wherein said apertures and said information are so disposed as to permit a sequence of checking the accuracy of the information written by the user and permit checking of correct usage by the teacher.

6. An educational apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.