GB2493723A - Alphabet Learning Aid - Google Patents

Abstract

A learning aid comprises a multiplicity of discrete objects 100, 200, 300, each object has a shape corresponding to a letter of an alphabet and comprises a playback means comprising a memory means 111 containing a sound recording of the phonetic sound of the letter of the alphabet, a speaker 109 configured to play the sound recording, a power supply 108 configured to power the speaker and a switching means 110 configured such that, in use, applying pressure to the object causes the switching means to activate the playback means such that the sound recording is played on the speaker. The learning aid further comprises a spine 105 protruding from a lower surface in the shape of the letter, such that in use, the spine can be coated in ink and pressed onto a printable surface to print a mark in the shape of the letter.

Description

Learning Aid

Field of Invention

The present invention concerns a learning aid. More particularly, but not exclusively, this invention concerns an aid for use in learning the shape, sound and printed form of letters of the alphabet, without the often confounding negative emotive sensations that can occur in classroom teaching.

Background of the Invention

Mastery of the alphabetic principle -that individual letters (graphemes) represent sounds (phonemes) of spoken words -is fundamental to learning to read. Both letter-sound knowledge and phoneme awareness are necessary for a child to understand this alphabetic principle. It is suggested that both of these skills are powerful long term predictors of how well children learn to read and to spell.

In most Western societies most children learn some letters before going to school. Given that phoneme awareness is a difficult skill for young children to acguire it is probably very difficult to train phoneme awareness effectively in children who are so young that they have no prior knowledge of letters.

An example of a learning aid for teaching the alphabet is the so called speak and spell device, which is set up so that, when a user presses a key on a keyboard, the sound of the letter corresponding to that key is played by the device.

Such a device may permit a user to learn by both sight and sound, but may not permit a user to learn by feel. There is no gross motor sensory feedback and no existence constancy.

Moreover, the arrangement of the keyboard on such a device is fixed, and supervised aduit instruction is initially required.

W02004/107292 describes a device having a plurality of pages, each page having a letter shape, a word which includes the phonetically correct sound of the letter and a picture of a common article whose name commences with that letter. The shape of the letter has a bumpy surface so that the user can feel the shape of the letter. E-Iowever, that device relies on a person accompanying the user to speak the sound of the letter.

The present invention seeks to mitigate the above mentioned problems. Alternatively, or additionally, the present invention seeks to provide a complete multi-sensory learning aid, particularly for pre-school age children.

Summary of the Invention

The invention provides the experience of a letter as a three-dimensional object. The recognition of the concepts of an object has been documented in infants within several months after birth. Objects that are part of the real world' experience are assimilated forming robust object representations. There is evidence that infants view objects as coherent entities that endure across time (existence constancy). Initial object concepts (i.e. existence constancy) are learned from experience early in postnatal life. A letter that is initially experienced as a robust three-dimensional object can form an enduring mental object from an early age, decrease the possibility of reversal or rotation errors.

Schemas are patterns of repeatable behaviour which can often be noticed in young children's play. By exploring and practising their schemas in different situations, children become more knowledgeable about the world around them. By incorporating a learning aid into play, children can positively assimilate the alphabetic principle without conscious adult-led teaching.

Schemas, comprising of memories, bodily sensations, emotions and oognitions are extremely stable and enduring patterns, and once activated, intense emotions are felt. When a person has an early maladaptive schema such as a sense of comparative failure they have all the memories of early failure, the emotions of anxiety or shame, which are attached to failure, bodily sensations and thoughts that people are going to disregard them. un Early Maladaptive Schema, therefore, is the deepest level of cognition that contains memories and intense emotions when activated. Learning through play ensures positive experience of letter knowledge within a young child's comfort zone.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a learning aid comprising a multiplicity of discrete objects, each object having a shape corresponding to a letter of an alphabet and comprising a playback means comprising a memory means containing a sound recording of the phonetic sound of the letter of the alphabet, a speaker configured to play the sound recording, a power supply configured to power the speaker and a switching means configured such that, in use, applying pressure to the object causes the switching means to activace the playback means such that the sound recording is played from the speaker.

By providing a learning aid comprising a multiplicity of discrete objects, a user can handle the objects individually and feel their shape. Moreover, by configuring the objects such that, in use, applying pressure to an object causes the sound recording to be played on the speaker, the user can press upon the object and hear the sound of the letter. The user can also see the shape of the letter. The learning aid therefore provides opportunities for visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learning. The learning aid is therefore a multi-sensory learning aid. Because the learning aid comprises a multiplicity of discrete objects, each object being configured to play the sound corresponding to the phonetic sound of the letter shape of that particular object when pressed, the user can arrange the objecus into different orders, for example spelling out a word, such as a CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) word, and then press the objects in order to hear the sound of the word being spelled, while also viewing the word spelt in its correct order. Such a multi-sensory learning aid may provide improved learning over a learning aid in which the positions of the letters are fixed.

Preferably, each object has a top surface and a bottom surface and the switching means is configured such that applying pressure to the top surface of the object causes the switching means to activate the playback means such that the sound report recording is played on the speaker. In especially preferred embodiments, the top surface may comprise reliefs or icons that distinguish the top surface from the bottom surface and are constructed to eliminate any possible rotation or reversal of letters. For example, the top surface may comprise an article that is well known and which is usually associated with that letter. For example, the letter "e" may show a relief of an elephant. In some embodiments, the top surface may comprise a relief showing a face, preferably a happy face. By including a relief or icon that enables the top surface to be distinguished from the bottom surface, confusion as to the correct shape of the letter may be avoided. In partioular, by including a relief or icon that distinguishes the top surface from the bottom surface, the problen of a user placing the object upside down, and therefore receiving an incorrect picture of the shape of the letter, is avoided. That may be of particular importance with letters such as "b", "d", "p" or q".

In especially preferred embodiments, the reliefs or icons further indioate the correot orientation of the object in a horizontal plane. That is, as well as distinguishing the top surface from the bottom surface, the reiiefs or icons may form an image that has a well-known orientation, for example a face where the eyes are known to be above the mouth. Such a relief or icon may help to ensure that the user places the object in the correct orientation and thus learns the shape of the letter in the correct orientation.

Advantageously, each of the objects has a three-dimensional shape. Preferably the object has a rounded shape, for example an organic, or curvilinear, rounded shape. A user handling the object may find it easier to learn the shape of the object when the object is rounded. A rounded shape may also be advantageous in that it makes the learning aid more suitable for use by unaccompanied young children.

In some preferred embodiments each object may comprise a protruding spine on the bottom surface of the object, the spine having the shape of the letter of the alphabet such that when, in use, the spine is coated in ink, the object placed on a printable surface, and pressure applied to the top surface of the object, the spine is pressed on to the printable surface and prints a mark (grapheme) in the shape of the letter. By providing such a spine, the learning aid can be used to create printed words on a printable surface, for example a sheet of paper. In other words, the organic object leaves its footprint' on the page. It will be appreciated that the learning aid comprising a multiplicity of discrete objects, each object having a shape corresponding to a letter of an alphabet and being configured such that, in use, applying pressure to the object causes a sound recording of the phonetic sound of the letter to be played on the speaker and the spine to be pressed onto the printable surface so as to print a mark in the shape of the letter, results in a particularly advantageous combination in that the discrete objects can be arranged in any order, for example to spell a word, and the objects can then be pressed in turn so as to hear the sound of the spelt word, whilst simultaneously printing the spelt word on to a sheet of paper. Thus the learning aid appeals to a multitude of different senses including visual, oral, and kinaesthetic senses, whilst creating the printed word.

In some embodiments, the learning aid may further comprise an object having a shape corresponding to two or more letters of the alphabet arranged adjacent to one another, the object comprising a playback means comprising a memory means containing a sound recording of the phonetic sound of the combination of adjacent letters, a speaker for playing the sound recording, a power supply for powering the speaker and a switching means configured such that, in use, applying pressure to the object causes the switohing means to activate the playback means such that the sound recording is played on the speaker. By including an object having a shape corresponding to two or more letters of the alphabet arranged adjacent to one another, the learning aid can assist in the teaching of the phonetic sounds of combinations of letters, for example, the combination of the letters "t" and "h" as "th". By combining the two letters together in a single object and configuring that object to play the phonetic sound of the combination of the letters, the learning aid allows the combination of the letters to be placed into, for example, a word and for the correct pronunciation of the combination of letters to be played when the objects in the word are pressed in order.

In some embodiments the objects may comprise means for identifying others of the objects placed around them so that when two objects corresponding to two letters which together have a different phonetic sound, such as "t" and "h", are placed adjacent to one another, applying pressure to either of the objects results in that different phonetic sound being played. In such embodiments, the memory means may contain a plurality of sound recordings and the objects may comprise sensor means for identifying adjacent objects and a processor for selecting the sound recording to be played based on an input from the sensor means.

In an especially preferred embodiment, each of the objects comprises a bottom part and a top part slidably mounted on the bottom part. It will be appreciated that "bottom" and "top" refer to the vertical arrangement of the parts when the objects are placed on a horizontal surface in such a way that the letter can be read from vertically above the object.

Preferably, the top part comprises a peripheral lip which overlaps, and engages with, a peripheral lip of the bottom part. In some embodiments, the object may comprise a fixing means, for example a sorew, which passes through an orifice in the bottom part and engages, for example threadedly engages, with the top part, such that the orifice can slide along the fixing means but is prevented from passing over the head of the fixing means. Thus the top part is slidably mounted on the boutom part but cannot be disengaged from the bottom part without removal of the fixing means, Of course, the fixing means oould pass through an orifice in the top part and be engaged with the bottom part, although this is not as preferred since the fixing means head may then be visible on the top surface. Advantageously, the top part is mounted so as to slide in a substantially vertioal direction. That is, a vertical direction when the bottom part is resting on a flat horizontal surface in normal use as described above.

The object may comprise a biasing means that acts to urge the top part away from the bottom part. For example, the object may comprise a spring threaded onto the screw, The object may comprise a switch, for example a push button switch, mounted on the bottom part and a surface on the top part that engages with the switch to close the switch when the top part is pressed toward the bottom part against the urging of the biasing means. In some embodiments, the switch may be on the top part and the surface on the bottom part. The biasing means may thus serve to keep the top and bottom parts apart when no force is applied to the top surface so that the switch is open until a user presses the top surface.

In embodiments with a spine for printing, the biasing means may serve the purpose of transferring at least some of the force applied to the top part to the bottom part, and therefore to press the spine onto the printable surface such that a mark is printed in the shape of the letter.

The power supply may comprise a battery. The memory means may comprise a ROM (read-only-memory) chip.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is also provided an object for use in a learning aid, the object having a shape corresponding to a letter of an alphabet and comprising a playback means comprising a memory means containing a sound recording of the phonetic sound of the letter of the alphabet, a speaker configured to play the sound recording, a power supply configured to supply power to the speaker and a switching means configured such that, in use, applying pressure to the object causes the switching means to activate the playback means such that the sound recording is played on the speaker.

The alphabet may be the Latin, or Roman, alphabet, such as the English alphabet. The alphabet may be an extended Roman alphabet. The alphabet may, for example, be selected from the Arabic, Arabic, Armenian, Avestan, Beitha Kukju, Borama, Caucasian Albanian alphabet, Coptic, Cyrillic, Eclectic shorthand, Elbasan, Fraser, Gabeisberger shorthand, Georgian, Glagolitic, Gothic, Greek, International Phonetic Alphabet, Kaddare, Latin or Roman, Manchu, I4andaic, Mongolian, Nec-Tifinagh, N'Ko, Ogham, Old Hungarian, Old Italic, Old Permic, Old Turkio, Old Uyghur, Osmanya, Runic alphabet, 01 Cemet', Tai Lue, Vah, or Zaghawa alphabets.

The invention may also find utility with logographic writing systems such as Egyptian hieroglyphs, Anatolian hieroglyphs, Cuneiform, Chinese characters (Hanzi), Japanese (Kanji), Korean (Hanja), Vietnamese (Han tu), Jurohen script, Khitan large script, Tangut script, Zhuang script, Chü Nfm, Eghap (or Bagam) script, Mayan, Ii (classical), or Shui script. When used with such systems, it will be appreciated that the objects will have a shape corresponding to a logogram and a sound recording corresponding to that logogram. Thus, in relation to the use of the invention with logographic writing systems, references herein to letters may be construed as references to logographs. Thus, there may be provided a learning aid comprising a multiplicity of discrete objects, each object having a shape corresponding to a written symbol and ccmprising a playback means comprising a memory means containing a sound recording of the sound corresponding to that written symbol, a speaker configured to play the sound recording, a power supply configured to power the speaker and a switching means configured such that, in use, applying pressure to the object causes the switching means to activate the playback means such that the sound recording is played on the speaker. The written symbol may be a logogram. The written symbol may be a grapheme.

According to a broad aspect of the invention, there may be provided a learning aid comprising a multiplicity of discrete objects, each object having a shape corresponding to a written symbol and comprising a playback means comprising a memory means containing a sound recording of the sound corresponding to that written symbol, a speaker configured to play the sound recording, a power supply configured to power the speaker and a switching means configured such that, in use, activation of the switching means activates the playback means such that the sound recording is played on the speaker. For example, the switching means may be a press-button switching means, a voice activated switching means or a motion sensing switching means.

It will of course be appreciated that features described in relation to one aspect of the present invention may be incorporated into other aspects of the present invention. For example, the object of the invention may incorporate any of the features described with reference to the learning aid of the invention and vice versa.

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Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of examples only with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings of which: Figure 1 is a schematic view of a learning aid comprising a multiplicity of objects; Figure 2 is another view of the learning aid of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a view of a top surface of an object for use in the learning aid of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a view of the object of Figure 3; Figure 5 is another view of the object of Figure 3; Figure 6 is a view of a bottom surface of the object of Figure 3; Figure 7 is an expanded view of the object of Figure 3; Figure 8 is an internal view of the objeot of Figure 3; Figure 9 is another view of the object of Figure 3; Figure 10 is a cross sectional view of the object of Figure 3; Figure 11 is another cross sectional view of the object of Figure 3; Figure 12 is a side view of the object of Figure 3 when no pressure is applied to the top surface; Figure 13 is a side view of the object of Figure 3 when pressure is applied to the top surface; Figure 14 is a view of a top surface of an object for use in the learning aid of Figure 1; Figure 15 is a side view of the object of Figure 14; Figure 16 is another side view of the object of Figure 14; Figure 17 is a view of the object of Figure 14; Figure 18 is an internal view of the object of Figure 14; Figure 19 is a view of a bottom surface of the object cf Figure 14; Figure 20 is a cross sectional view of the object of Figure 14; Figure 21 is another cross sectional view of the object of Figure 14; Figure 22 is an expanded view of the object of Figure 14; Figure 23 is a view of an object for use in the learning aid of Figure 1; Figure 24 is a side view of the object of Figure 23; Figure 25 is a view of a bottom surface of the object of Figure 23; Figure 26 is a view of the object of Figure 23; Figure 27 is a cross-sectional view of the object of Figure 23; Figure 28 is another cross-sectional view of the object of Figure 23; Figure 29 is an internal view of the object of Figure 23; and Figure 30 is an expanded view of the object of Figure 23.

Detailed Description

Starting with Figures 1 and 2, a learning aid 1 comprises a multiplicity of discrete objects 100, 200, 300. The objects 100, 230, 300 are discrete from one another in that they are separate objects that can be moved independently of each other. Each of the objects 100, 200, 300 has a shape corresponding to a letter of the Roman alphabet. Object 100 has a shape corresponding to the letter "a", object 200 has a shape corresponding to the letter "b" and object 300 has a shape corresponding to the letter "t". The objects 100, 200, 300 have an organic rounded shape.

Turning now to Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 an object 100 for use in the iearning aid 1 has a shape corresponding to the letter "a". The objeot 100 has a top surface 103 and a bottom surfaoe 104. On the top surface 103 there is a relief having eyes 101 and a mouth 102. The relief is arranged such that when the eyes 101 are above the mouth 102, as would be usual in a face, the object 100 is correctly oriented so as to show a letter "a". On the bottom surface 104 there is a protruding spine 105 which is shaped so as to print a letter "a" when pressed onto a surface. Also on the bottom surface 104 are screws 106 and access hatch 107, held in place by screw 128.

Turning to Figure 7, the object 100 is formed from a top part and a bottom part 121. The bottom part 121 includes a recess 118 in which a speaker 109 fits. The bottom part 121 also includes clips 117 for holding a battery 108 and pins 113 which engage with holes 114 in a circuit board 112. On the circuit board is mounted a switch 110 and a memory device 111, which contains a sound recording of the letter "a". There is a screw 115 and a threaded hole 116 for securing the circuit board 112 onto the pins 113. Springs 119 fit onto the screws 106 which can be inserted through holes 122 in the bottom part 121. The access hatch 107 fits into the bottom part 121 in line with the battery clips 117.

In Figure 8 the battery 108 is held in place by the battery clips 117 and the circuit board 112 is held in place by the screw 115. The springs 119 are in place over the screws 106.

In Figure 10, which is a section along line B-B in Figure 9, the top part 120 is slidably mounted on the bottom part 121.

The circuit board 112 and the switch 110 are positioned such that the protrusions 124 on the upper part 120 rest on the push button 123 of the switch 110. The spine 105 protrudes below the bottom part 121. In Figure 11, which is a cross-section along line C-C in Figure 9, screw 106 is screwed into a threaded hole 125 protruding from the top part 120. The lower ends of the hole 125 rest on the spring 119 which is placed around the screw 106.

Turning to Figures 12 and 13, when the top part 120 is pressed the spring 119 is compressed and the top part 120 can move down towards the bottom part 121 closing the gap 126 in doing so. The movement of the top part 120 towards the bottom part 121 causes the push button 123 of the switch 110 to be pressed by the protrusions 124. In that way the switch 110 is closed, which activates the playback means comprising the memory 111 and the power supply 108 to play the sound recording on the memory 111 through the speaker 109. In addition, the spine is pressed downwards onto the surface on which the object rests. If the spine 105 is coated in ink, for example by first pressing it into an ink pad, then the spine 105 will create a printed impression of the letter "a".

In Figures 14 to 22 an object 200 for use in the learning aid 1 is shaped like the letter "b". In Figure 14, the top surface 203 of the object 200 includes eyes 201, a mouth 202, eyebrows 227 and teeth 226. It will be appreciated that the presence of the eyes 201, eyebrows 227, mouth 202 and teeth 226 is particularly advantageous in an object 200 shaped like a letter "b", because if the object 200 is rotated through in a horizontal plane, it would appear like a letter "q".

The relative position of the eyes 201 and eyebrows 227 to the mouth 202 and teeth 226 therefore ensures that the object 200 is placed in the correct orientation in the horizontal plane.

Also, since the eyes 201, eyebrows 227, mouth 202 and teeth 226 distinguish the top surface 203 from the bottom surface 204, the object 200 will not be placed upside down. That may be important because, if placed upside down, the object 200 may appear like a "d" or a "p". There is a spine 205 on the bottom surface 204 of the object 200. The spine 205 will print a letter "b" when the object 200 is pressed.

The innernal arrangement of the object 200 is essentially the same as that of the object 100, with corresponding parts having corresponding numbers, except that parts of the object begin with 2 instead of 1. Thus in Figures 18 to 22, the object 200 is arranged such that when the top part 220 is pressed the springs 219 placed around the screws 206 compress and the protrusions 224 press on the push button 223 of the switch 210. The switch 210 activates the playback means, including memory means 211, the switch 210 and the memory means 211 being on the circuit board 212, which is held in place by the screw 215 threadedly engaged in the hole 216.

Pressing the switch 210 activates the battery 208, held in place by the clips 217, which causes the sound recording of the letter "b" on the memory means 211 to be played by the speaker 209. Because the speaker 209 is held in orifice 218 the sound can be clearly heard by the user. To change the battery 208, the screw 228 can be removed from the access hatch 207, allowing access to the battery 208 without opening the rest of the object 200.

In Figures 23 to 30, object 300 is shaped like a letter "t".

Object 300 has similar features to object 100 and 200, with corresponding numbering, excepting that numbering for object 300 begins with a 3. Thus object 300 has eyes 301 and mouth 302 which allow the letter to be correctly orientated and distinguish the top surface 303 from the bottom surface 304.

The spine 305 is arranged so as to print a letter "t" when the object 300 is pressed. There is an access hatch 307 held in place by a screw 328. In use, pressing the top part 320 of the object 300 oauses the tcp part 320 to move down towards the bottom part 321, compressing the spring 319. The sorew 306, which is screwed into the protruding threaded hole 325, also moves downwards when the top part 320 is pressed. The movement of the top part 320 towards the bottom part 321 causes the protrusion 324 to press the push button 323 of the switch 310, which is mounted on the circuit board 312.

Pressing down on the top part 320 also oauses a force to be transferred to the bottom part 321 via the protruding hole 325 and the spring 319, which force causes the spine 305 to be pressed onto the surface on which the object 300 rests, printing the shape of a letter "t" on that surface. Pressing the push button 323 of the switch 310 activates the playback means so the sound of the letter "t", which is recorded in the memory 311, is played on the speaker 309. In the object 300 the circuit board 312, which holds the memory 311 and the switch 310, is shaped so as to fit in the space available in the "t" shape and is held in place by screw 315.

Where in the forgoing description, integers or elements are mentioned which have known, obvious or foreseeable equIvalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth. Reference should be made to the claims for determining the true scope of the present invention, which should be construed so as to encompass any such equivalents. It will also be appreciated by the reader the integers or features of the invention that are described a preferable, advantageous, convenient or the like are optional and do not limit the scope of the independent caims.

Moreover, it is to be understood that such optional integers or features, whilst of possible benefit in some embodiments of the invention, may not be desirable, and may therefore be absent, in other embodiments.

Claims (1)

1. <claim-text>Claims 1. A learning aid comprising a multiplicity of discrete cbjects, each object having a shape corresponding to a letter of an alphabet and comprising a playback means comprising a memory means containing a sound recording of the phonetic sound of the letter of the alphabet, a speaker configured to play the sound recording, a power supply configured to power the speaker and a switching means configured such that, in use, applying pressure to the object causes the switching means to activate the playback means such that the sound recording is played on the speaker.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. A learning aid according to claim 1 wherein each of the objects has a top surface and a bottom surface and the switching means is configured such that applying pressure to the top surface of the object causes the switching means to activate the playback means such that the sound recording is played on the speaker.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. A learning aid according to claim 2 wherein each of the objects comprises a protruding spine on the bottom surface, the spine having the shape of the letter of the alphabet such that when, in use, the spine is coated in ink, the object placed on a printable surface and pressure applied to the top surface of the object, the spine is pressed onto the printable surface and prints a mark in the shape of the letter.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. A learning aid according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the top surface comprises a relief or an icon that distinguishes the top surface from the bottom surface.</claim-text> <claim-text>5. A learning aid according to claim 4 wherein the relief or the icon indicates the correct orientation of the object.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. A learning aid according to any preceding claim wherein each of the objects has a three-dimensional, rounded shape.</claim-text> <claim-text>7. A learning aid according to any preceding claim wherein the learning aid further comprises an object having a shape corresponding to two or more letters of an alphabet arranged adjacent to one another, the object comprising a playback means comprising a memory means containing a sound recording of the phonetic sound of the combination of letters, a speaker configured to play the sound recording, a power supply configured to power the speaker and switching means configured such that, In use, applying pressure to the object causes the switching means to activate the playback means such that the sound recording is played on the speaker.</claim-text> <claim-text>8. An object for use In a learning aid, the object having a shape corresponding to a letter of an alphabet and comprising a playback means comprising a memory means containing a sound recording of the phonetic sound of the letter of the alphabet, a speaker configured to play the sound recording, a power supply configured to power the speaker, and a switching means configured such that, in use, applying pressure to the object causes the switching means to activate the playback means such that the sound recording is played on the speaker.</claim-text> <claim-text>9. A learning aid substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.</claim-text>