WO1999067764A1

WO1999067764A1 - Letter building game and dyslexia therapy device

Info

Publication number: WO1999067764A1
Application number: PCT/HU1998/000061
Authority: WO
Inventors: Valéria SIKE
Original assignee: Sike Valeria
Priority date: 1998-06-25
Filing date: 1998-06-25
Publication date: 1999-12-29
Also published as: AU8236498A

Abstract

The device improves children's ability to concentrate, their observation, their visual skills and their shape recognising and reproducing abilities, and due to this it can be used a device to cure or prevent dyslexia. The device contains letter shapes (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) suitable for creating letters (a...z), characterised by that the letter shapes (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) are the constituting elements of the Latin phonetic alphabet, and they are basic geometrical shapes in a logical relation so that they can be associated with the memory pictures stored about the letters (a...z) or their parts.

Description

Letter building game and dyslexia therapy device

The invention relates to a letter building game and dyslexia therapy device which improves children's ability to concentrate, their observation, their visual skills and their shape recognising and reproducing abilities, and due to this it can be used as a device to cure or prevent dyslexia.

Dyslexia is a reading disorder or studying disorder still unsolved all over the world, as a result of which people who suffer from it are not able to give performance which would suit their intellectual level.

In the course of recognising the letters the following process takes place in the brain: At the same time as perceiving the letter shape seen visual analysis synthesis is needed so that an appropriate information unit is available for the brain to imprint the memory traces. In the course of this process the shape seen is analysed into its constituting elements, and then these elements are synthesised in relation to each other. This thinking operation is called visual analysis and visual synthesis.

This thinking operation is difficult for a brain which operates with a dysfunction, so it cannot store sufficient and permanent memory traces or to identify the shape seen again with the knowledge gained in a previous learning process. Consequently the letter recognition is uncertain or not enough for relating an auditive signal (sound) to a visual signal (letter). So letters are mixed up or not even recognised. In special literature this problem is called dyslexia.

The brain operating like this, due to its visual dysfunction, does not perceive proportions and does not record things with sufficient stability. For the same reason its perception of directions is bad, it cannot remember even the position of the shape in space or in plane. Its space orientation ability does not operate well, so it mixes up mirror image letters, for example p, b, d, t, f, and due to this the information content of the words is changed, so it becomes difficult to develop understood reading, e.g.: baba (baby), dada (nanny), papa (dad), fekete (black). Children suffering from dyslexia are not able to imprint the shape of the letter seen in their memory, to remember it and to recognise printed and hand-written letters safely. The basic reason for this is their visual disturbance, visual agnosia. Visual agnosia, or in milder cases visual dysfunction disorder, is a pathological inability to apprehend the formation as a whole. They are unable to perceive a complex formation (the picture and shape of a letter) in a way that the structure gained is the simplest possible one (gestalt picture). They are not able to divide a difficult picture into simple forms, and then apprehend it by building it up again. Visual analysis and synthesis does not operate in thinking when there is a case of visual agnosia or visual dysfunction.

Several attempts have been made in education and public health to solve dyslexia by doing movement exercises, doing exercises on test-papers, pedagogical and psychological developing lessons, using coloured eye-glasses as a device, and drug treatment. In a few cases there were some results, but no complete success has been achieved, the problem has not been solved.

In patent description No. US 4 998 883 a teaching game is introduced suitable for promoting the building and recognising of letters, according to the state of technology. The game contains different elements of previously determined shape from which the capital letters of the Alphabet can be assembled. The elements are created in a way that by the different arrangement of a minimal number of elements of different shape a large number of certain forms can be produced. Each element of a different shape has a different colour which makes it possible to create different letters or other shapes. At the same time, for children who have difficulties in recognising shapes, the geometry elements of the game is difficult to apprehend, so this game is not suitable for the therapeutic treatment of reading difficulties or dyslexia.

In the course of working on the solution according to the invention the aim was to create a device which makes it possible to develop the shape recognising processes which take place in the brain by constructing the elements. When creating the solution according to the invention I realised that if a device is made in which the small letters of the Latin phonetic alphabet are divided up into letter shapes and basic logical forms - straight, curved and circle elements - which can be related to memory pictures stored about letters or their parts, then the set aim can be achieved.

Consequently the invention a letter building game and dyslexia therapy device which contains letter shapes suitable for creating letters, characterised by that the letter shapes are the constituting elements of the Latin phonetic alphabet, and they are basic geometrical shapes in a logical relation so that they can be associated with the memory pictures stored about the letters or their parts.

In one preferred embodiment of the solution the letter shapes are straight, curved and circle shaped elements, practically consisting of a ring, frustum of ring, rectangular blocks bordered by a quadrangle, and both arc elements and rectangular blocks. The letter shapes consist of thirteen different geometrical formations, and the basic set is constituted by twenty one letter shapes. The letter shapes are made of wood, metal or plastic, the colour of the letter shapes is one of the prime colours, and/or a mixture of the prime colours. The diameter of the letter shapes is 6 cm, their height is 10 cm, and their width is 5 mm-1 cm.

The solution according to the invention is described with the help of the enclosed figures:

In figure 1 the letter shapes of the device according to the invention can be seen.

Figures 2 - 5 demonstrate the letters assembled with the help of the letter shapes.

In figure 1 the 1-14 letter shapes of the device according to the invention can be seen, which can be derived from dividing up the letters. In the device the letters of the Latin phonetic alphabet are divided up into 1-14 letter shapes, basic logical forms - straight, curved and circle elements - which can be related to memory pictures stored about letters or their parts. The 1-14 letter shapes are constructed in a way that the same shape can be used to make a different letter by turning it over. It significantly reduces the number of the shapes.

Figure 2 shows letters a, b, c, d, e, f assembled with the help of the letter shapes.

Figure 3 shows letters g, h, i, j, k, / assembled with the help of the letter shapes.

Figure 4 shows letters m, n, o, p, q, t, s, r, u assembled with the help of the letter shapes.

Figure 5 shows letters v, w, x, y, z, assembled with the help of the letter shapes.

For example letter a consists of a 2 letter shape and an 11 letter shape. Letter b consists of a 2 letter shape and a 12 letter shape. Letter c can be assembled from the 2 letter shape. Letter z consists of two 10 letter shapes and an 11 letter shape. Two 13 letter shapes are needed for letter s. Letter m can be assembled from two 14 letters shapes and an 11 letter shape.

In the course of using the device the letter shapes are assembled on the appropriate letter pattern. On the letter patterns the individual letters are shown according to the shapes which can be seen in pictures 2-5. The chosen drawings and pictures are in visual association relation with the letters. With the help of these children can choose the necessary shapes. In the beginning the letter pattern provides a support for the synthesising thinking operation, with the help of this children can choose the necessary shapes for the analysis thinking function. The basic method of using the device is that the letter elements are placed on the sketched out set of letters, and by this the letter is assembled and identified. Consequently the basic operation is to find the appropriate letter picture, and to put the building elements on it. Finding harmony with the letter patterns of the letter building game is a help when putting the elements in their place in the plane. In connection with this children will realise that the precise observation of the directions is important. In the course of using the device the operations which the brain is unable to perform at a conceptual level because of dysfunction or other organic damage (analysis-synthesis, induction-reduction) are practised with the help of the letter shapes and letter patterns manually, also exploiting the transfer effect of tactile stimuli. While practising this ability of the brain is improved, and then, even without auxiliary devices, it becomes able to operate the thinking functions needed for writing and reading.

In the course of the construction of the letter shapes the aim was not to be able to assemble anything from anything, but the individual letters are divided up proportionately, e.g.: from letter e only the letter e can be assembled. In the course of the construction of the device one of the most important aspects was that the children choose from the fewest possible elements so that they do not get lost in it. For example letter o is a circle which is in the set of elements, and it is not made up of two semicircles, because children are not familiar with this element. They are familiar with circle, and they need to find it and put it on the letter pattern to make the letter o.

In the course of the application of the device according to the invention we were convinced that the formation the symptoms of dyslexia can be prevented by using the letter building game, as the device was constructed so that it compensates the under-operation deriving from the dysfunction. By dividing up the small letters of the alphabetic standard into their logical constituting elements, forms of the visual analysis-synthesis thinking pattern characteristic of children and perceptible by children have been created. This is how letter shapes became the characteristic partial form of certain letters. Taking into consideration the possibility of the perceptibility of the proportions in the course of the construction of the elements, emphasising the perception of the directions, the end of certain elements is constructed at a 45 degree angle. During an activity in practice and at a conceptual level the direction of spatial forms can be changed by turning them over as it is done in the course of the original construction of the different letters, for example d-b, b-p. n- u. The different logical partial elements are individual letters on the one part, e.g.: l-c, which form a new letter in a synthesis: c+l=d. It is taken into consideration that a new letter can be created by proportioning the size of the elements to each other, for example: n-h, and a new letter can be created by multiplying the logical partial elements (shapes), for example: m, s, z.

Summing up the experience gained with the device, it is a fact also proven with MRC tests, that the visual skills of dyslexic children do not operate efficiently. What children are not able to perform at a conceptual level, they perform it by sensomotor experience, with the support of tactile stimuli, in the course of an activity, acting themselves. After practising for long enough, they will be able to do this at conceptual level, too. It affects the development of further, other methods of thinking. The children's analogue, logical thinking continues to develop, and by this they become able to give a better intellectual performance. Their constructive skills improve and due to this their creativity develops. The development of their ΕGO" accelerates, and their personality develops in a more harmonic way.

Consequently by using the letter building game children's visual agnosia and function disorder can be terminated so that what they are not able to perform at a conceptual level because of the brain's damage (e.g.: anoxia) or the slowness of the maturation of the function, it can be solved with external help, exploiting the transfer effect of tactile and other perception possibilities. In the interest of this the small letters of the phonetic alphabet are divided up into their constituting shapes, and there is a possibility of building up the letters from shapes by providing "calling pictures" and "letter patterns". The "calling pictures" are constructed from a sphere of concepts which suits four-six year-old children's sphere of concepts and vocabulary, so children who are older than this also know it, even if the development of their vocabulary is slowed down.

The picture of the letter pattern and the letter are in associative relation with each other, which makes it easier to recall the picture and the letter visually, and it is close to the children emotionally, too. The names of the objects and the animals start with sounds which are shown by the picture, so if the children name the picture, separating the first sound, the visual stimulus is also confirmed in an auditive way, and the letter-sound relation is created.

The advantage of the device according to the invention is that the dyslexia examination, prevention and therapeutic device proceeding from the differential diagnostics of dyslexia, based on aetiology works well in practice. As an examination device it can be used to find out the defective knowledge of which letter lead to the formation of the reading disorder.

The game or prevention device can be used from the age of four. It is a constructive game, it has an ego supporting psychological effect. It is a developing playful device which develops children's spatial-orientation-relation skills, observation, concentration, visual skills, shape memory and reproducing skills. It develops children's analogue and logical thinking. Generally it develops skills which are essential for successful learning.

Another advantage of the game according to the invention is that it is a device of dyslexia therapy, and apart from its developing effects described above it is also a playful device for children suffering from reading disorder to learn the letters. It can be used in normal population, families, nursery schools, schools, logopaedics lessons. It can be used in the development, teaching and therapy of pupils demanding special care to this effect.

Claims

Claims:

1. Letter building game and dyslexia therapy device which contains letter shapes suitable for creating letters, characterised by that the letter shapes (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14) are the constituting elements of the Latin phonetic alphabet, and they are basic geometrical shapes in a logical relation so that they can be associated with the memory pictures stored about the letters (a...z) or their parts.

2. The device as in claim 1 , characterised by that the letter shapes (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14) are straight, curved and circle shaped elements, practically consisting of a ring, frustum of ring, rectangular blocks bordered by a quadrangle, and both arc elements and rectangular blocks.

3. The device as in claim 1 or 2, characterised by that the letter shapes (1 ,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14) consist of thirteen different geometrical formations, and the basic set is constituted by twenty one letter shapes (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14).

4. The device as in any of claims 1-3, characterised by that the letter shapes (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14) are made of wood, metal or plastic, the colour of the letter shapes is one of the prime colours, and/or a mixture of the prime colours.

5. The device as in any of claims 1-4, characterised by that the diameter of the letter shapes (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14) is 6 cm, their height is 10 cm, and their width is 5 mm-1 cm.