WO2002065430A1

WO2002065430A1 - Learning system

Info

Publication number: WO2002065430A1
Application number: PCT/DK2002/000088
Authority: WO
Inventors: Elly Kürzel
Original assignee: Kuerzel Elly
Priority date: 2001-02-10
Filing date: 2002-02-07
Publication date: 2002-08-22
Also published as: DE10296271T5; WO2002065430A8

Abstract

A system (10) and method for learning, particulary suited as reading and spelling aid for children, comprising a main board (11), which is provided with at least one clearly marked fastening line (12a); a first category of pieces (20) provided with an image of an object (81), a second category of pieces (30) provided with the spelling of an object from the first category of pieces (20), and a third category of pieces (40) including pieces each provided with a letter, all pieces in all categories being provided with a fastening mateial (12b) at the opposite side of image, spelling and letter, respectively, so that the pieces arbitrarily and detachably may be attached onto the fastening lines (12a) on the main board (11).

Description

Learning System

The present invention concerns a system for learning and a method for using the system by which particularly children are motivated for learning, especially for recogni- tion of words and spelling.

In US-A-5 204 706 is disclosed a system where the user selects a piece with an image of an object, e.g. a piece with a house, where, besides the house, there is also indicated the spelling of the object. Then the user searches for the necessary letters for spelling the object. The object piece is then placed in a frame. The letter pieces are then assembled by dovetail connections with both the frame and mutually to each other, whereafter the outline of the letters may be stencilled through the pieces down onto an underlying paper. Alternatively, the letters may be filled up with plasticine, or with another set of pieces consisting of letter parts.

US-A-5 897 421 discloses another system, where the letter symbols are designed as small figures with hands, feet and facial features. Here, the letters are connected by connecting hands and feet with hands and feet on the adjacent letters. Besides, the symbols may be placed on different kinds of main boards. The letters are made as bean sacks and may possibly be provided with Nelcro-like material at the back side for facilitating mounting on a main board. The symbols may also be provided with a sounding body which may be activated by the user and thereby indicate the sound of the selected symbol.

Common to the two learning systems mentioned above is that they make high demands on the motoric abilities of the user, as the assembling principles of the prior art methods are rather complicated, in particular for small children. Besides, there is a limited number of variation possibilities concerning how symbols and pieces, and symbols/figures may be varied and put together.

It is thus the purpose of the present invention to provide a system and a method by which children, in particular, become motivated for recognising words and their spelling. Furthermore, the motoric abilities of children is trained by placing the different symbols on lines. In this way it becomes natural for children in the learning phase to recognise words and letters and also to put these in the right sequence and order which is later to be used in teaching with respect to learning writing, arithmetic, etc.

With the present invention, this is achieved with a system of the kind mentioned in the introduction, and which is peculiar in that the system includes a main board, which is provided with at least one clearly marked fastening line; a first category of pieces provided with an image of an object, a second category of pieces provided with the spelling of an object from the first category of pieces, and a third category of pieces including pieces each provided with a symbol, all pieces in all categories being provided with a fastening material at the opposite side of the image, spelling and letter, respectively, so that the pieces arbitrarily and detachably may be attached onto the fastening lines on the main board.

In the preferred embodiment the symbol on the pieces of the third category is a letter.

The method according to the invention is peculiar in that the user initially selects a piece of a first category and places it on a fastening line which is mounted on a main board, after which the user seeks a piece among pieces in a second category representing the spelling corresponding to the object depicted on the piece from the first category, whereafter the piece sought and found is placed on the fastening line beside the first piece, and finally the user finds pieces of a third category which together represent the necessary letters for enabling spelling of the word corresponding to the object on the first piece; the pieces of the third category are placed in the correct sequence adjacent the two other pieces on the same fastening line.

In the examples described, letters are used for spelling objects depicted on the pieces, but the system may also be adapted for use with numbers whereby the user may train arithmetic or mathematics. Furthermore, it is within the scope of the invention to use the system with other concepts, e.g. weekdays, months, colours, rhyming words, themes such as "In the woods", "On the field", "In town" etc. The pieces are made in a thick cardboard material with a suitable surface coating which ensures long service life of the pieces. The pieces may also be made of other materials, e.g. plastic, wood, light metals, magnetic materials and ceramics. Besides, the pieces may be made as a combination of several materials, e.g. wood board with symbols of paper or plastic bonded thereon. The pieces may have any shape, including round, quadrangular, triangular, or with other polygonal shapes. The thickness and size of the pieces are adapted to the kind of basic material and the size of the user. The pieces are to be easy for the user to get and grip while not being larger than a suitable number can be placed on the main board at the same time.

The main board may be made of any material. An embodiment comprises the storage box being made of wood board or of a strong cardboard material, and that the lid for the box may be used as the main board. Another embodiment comprises the storage box being made of thick cardboard or of wood board and the main board arranged loosely inside the box.

In a further embodiment, the box is provided with a device so that the main board may be mounted in connection with the box in such a way that it is held at an angle relative to the box. Connection may be provided, for example, by the lid being hinged to the box, and so that the lid is limited in the angle at which it may be opened relative to the box. The connection may also be formed by grooves formed on the inner side of the box sides in which the main board may be detachably engaged.

Besides being mounted in connection with the storage box/container the main board may also be provided with suspension means so that the main board may be suspended e.g. on a wall, a board or similar. The suspension means may be holes in the board, inserted eyelets, straps or similar.

One of the main objects of the invention is to strengthen and stimulate the user's motoric abilities and desire for learning. Some underlying learning effects are implied in that the pieces may only be attached on the fastening lines. Thereby is achieved that the user is forced to arrange the pieces, and thereby the words and letters, in line. Eventually, this becomes the normal procedure for the user, and the recognition factor when the user sees other written material is thereby enhanced. Besides, by giving vowels and consonants (even and uneven numbers) different colours is achieved that the user is provided knowledge about there being different properties associated with the different symbols, besides the apparent that a "b" is a "b".

In order to facilitate use of the system, the pieces may e.g. have applied a basic colour on one side. Different types of pieces have different basic colours. The basic colour reoccurs in the compartment in the divided box in which the pieces are to be placed when not in use. For example, pieces with images of objects may be light blue on the rear side. Correspondingly, a compartment in the box is coloured light blue. Hereby, the user is guided to place light blue pieces in the correspondingly coloured compartment in the storage box.

The system with main board and pieces may also be supplemented with a paper booklet. On the pages of the booklet there is pre-printed the outline of the objects that are depicted on the corresponding pieces, e.g. a house. Below, a number of lines appear. The booklet is for users having worked with the system, i.e. pieces and main board, and which then may exercise in writing the names of the objects on the lines.

This is a further step in the learning system. The user has used pieces and main board for spelling and recognising the names of the symbols depicted on some of the pieces. Then the user is urged to write the name on the lines made for the purpose. Subsequently, the outline of the object may be coloured. In a further variant, or as a supple- ment, the system may be supplemented with cutting sheets or a paper booklet. The booklet or the sheets contain images of the outlines of the objects depicted on the pieces. The users may cut out with scissors and colour the objects after which they may form part of illustrations in a story authored by the user.

The invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings. The described embodiments of the invention are only to be considered as illustrating examples not limiting for the scope of the invention. The invention is defined in the accompanying claims.

Fig. 1 shows schematically a basic system according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows an opened container in the state of use according to the invention,

Fig. 3 shows a variant of the main board according to the invention, and Fig. 4 shows supplementing booklets according to the invention.

Identical elements are designated the same reference numerals in different Figures.

In Fig. 1 is illustrated a system for learning, particularly intended as reading and spelling aid for children. The system 10 contains a main board 11 provided with at least one clearly marked fastening line 12a, in this embodiment three lines are shown. Besides, the system comprises a first category of pieces 20 provided with an image of an object and the spelling of the word associated with the object, e.g. a house, a bus, a cat, or other corresponding, short words which children particularly know from their everyday life. A second category of pieces 30 is provided with the spelling of the objects of the first category of pieces 20. For each piece in the first category, there is also a corresponding piece in the second category. A third category of pieces 40 contains pieces each provided with a letter. Here is illustrated "H", "U", "S", 41,42,43 ("HUS is the Danish word for "house"). In the shown example, letters, spelling and object are shown, but it may also be other interconnected categories, e.g. months, days, numbers, arithmetic signs, and so on. In the illustration, the pieces are shown having a quadrangular shape but the pieces may have any geometric shape without departing from the basic idea of the invention.

All pieces in all categories are provided with a fastening material 12b at the opposite side of image, spelling and letter, respectively, so that the pieces may arbitrarily and detachably be placed on the fastening lines 12a of the main board 11. The fastening material 12a,12b on the main board and pieces may be made of Velcro® or a Nelcro- like material, magnets, or adhesive plastic. Complementing or corresponding materials are used on pieces and main board, i.e. if Velcro is used on the main board, this is also the case on the pieces.

The pieces may be sorted and stored in a container 50. In the Figure, two alternative embodiments of containers are shown, but the container may have any shape and division. The container 50 may be divided into a number of compartments corresponding to the number of different categories of pieces, e.g. three 25,35,45 as shown on Fig. 1. The container may be made of wood, plastic, cardboard or metal. The main board 10 may form a lid for the container 50 and be fastened to the container 50 by means of a hinge or similar. The lid may also lie loosely on and be arranged relative to the container in the situation of use, e.g. as shown on Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 illustrates an open container with the main board 10 arranged as an unfolding lid which is held in a certain opening angle relative to the container by means of the elements 55.

Fig. 3 illustrates an alternative main board which is particularly suited for learning seasons, months and days. The main board 10 is provided with illustrations 75 corresponding to the different seasons and provided with twelve fastening lines 12a. The associated pieces (not shown) are provided with names of the different months or weekdays or other concepts that may concern the calendar in general.

In Fig. 4 is illustrated two booklets 80,90 which may supplement the system. In the shown examples, the booklet 80,81 consists of folded pieces of paper. One booklet 80 is printed with the outline 81 of the symbols known from the first category of pieces

20 and with the symbol as spelled 82, and the page is provided with a number of lines 83. The idea is that the user recognises outline 81 and spelling 82 after which the user himself writes the word on the lines 83. Then, or initially, the outline may be coloured. In this way the booklet 80 functions as an extension of the system whereby the users are urged to work further with the objects and words which are known from the work with the main board and associated pieces. In the second booklet 90 only the outline of the symbols, corresponding to the first category of pieces 20, are displayed. Here the idea is that the user recognises the symbol, possibly colouring it, after which it is cut out. It may possibly be used in a story authored by the user himself, where the symbol, possibly coloured, is representing a word in the story. Hereby the user is urged to once and again to recognise and consider the word, its meaning and thereby unconsciously its spelling, due to the recognition factor of the symbol from the exercises with the pieces 20,30,40 and the main board 10.

Claims

1. A system for learning particularly suited as reading and spelling aid for children, characterised in that the system (10) includes a main board (11), which is provided with at least one clearly marked fastening line (12a); a first category of pieces (20) provided with an image of an object (81), a second category of pieces (30) provided with the spelling of an object from the first category of pieces (20), and a third category of pieces (40) including pieces each provided with a symbol, all pieces in all categories being provided with a fastening material (12b) at the opposite side of the image, spelling and symbol, respectively, so that the pieces arbitrarily and detachably may be attached onto the fastening lines (12a) on the main board (11).

2. A system for learning according to claim 1, characterised in that two categories of pieces are provided with numbers, and that the third category is provided with common arithmetic signs, such as plus-, minus-, multiplication-, division- and equal-signs.

3. A system for learning according to claim 1, characterised in that the fastening lines (12a) and the fastening material (12b) on the pieces are made of Velcro®, magnets or adhesive plastic.

4. A system for learning according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the symbols are letters and that vowels and consonants depicted on pieces in the third category (40) have different colours, e.g. red and black, respectively.

5. A system for learning according to any preceding claim, characterised in that all pieces (20,30,40) are stored in a container (50) divided into three compartments (25,35,45) in which the pieces are sorted according to category in each their compartment.

6. A system for learning according to claim 5, characterised in that the single compartments (25,35,45) in the container (50) have different colours, and that pieces (20,30,40) associated with a certain compartment have a corresponding colour marking.

7. A system for learning according to claim 5, characterised in that the main board (11) is shaped so that it may be used as lid for the container (50).

8. A system for learning according to claim 7, characterised in that the container (50) is provided with an arrangement (55) for holding the main board (11) at a predetermined angle in relation to the container (50).

9. A system for learning according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the main board (11) is provided with an arrangement (60) for suspending the plate (11).

10. A system for learning according to claim 1, characterised in that twelve fastening lines (12a) are arranged on the main board (11), and that a symbol (75) appears opposite each set of three fastening lines.

11. A system for learning according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the system is supplemented with a booklet (80) with one or more pages where on each page there is pre-printed the outline of an object (81) corresponding to the objects on the pieces in the first category (20), letters corresponding to the spelling (83) of the object (81), and a number of lines (83) below.

12. A system for learning according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the system is also supplemented with a booklet (80) with one or more pages, or one or more cutting sheets, where on each page is pre-printed a number of outlines of different images (81) corresponding to one or more of the objects on the pieces in the first category (20).

13. A method for using a system according to claim 1, characterised in that the user initially selects a piece (20) of a first category and places it on a fastening line (12b) which is mounted on a main board (11), after which the user seeks a piece among pieces in a second category (30) representing the spelling corresponding to the object depicted on the piece (20) from the first category, whereafter the piece (30) sought and found is placed on the fastening line (12b) beside the first piece (20), and finally the user finds pieces (40) of a third category which together represent the necessary letters for enabling spelling of the word corresponding to the object on the first piece (20); the pieces of the third category are placed in the correct sequence adjacent the two other pieces (20,30) on the same fastening line (12a).

14. A method for using a system according to claim 13, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the user initially selects a piece of second category (30) succeeded by pieces of first (20) and third (40) category, respectively.

15. A method for using a system according to claim 13, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that pieces (20) of the first category are provided with illustrations symbolising a concept, e.g. a month, pieces (30) of the second category are symbolising the spelling of the month concerned; that twelve fastening lines (12a) are arranged on the main board

(11), and that a symbol (75) appears opposite each set of three fastening lines, e.g. representing a season, so that the selected piece (20) representing a month is placed opposite a symbol (75) corresponding to the season in which the month on the piece

(20) concerned falls, then pieces (30) of the second category representing the name of the month are placed, and then pieces (40) of the third category representing the spelling are placed, whereby all pieces (20,30,40) are placed on the same fastening line (12a), after which a new symbol is chosen, e.g. a month which is placed opposite the correct seasonal symbol (75), and the method is repeated until, for example, the whole year is arranged.