WO2019246174A1 - Symbol manipulation educational system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for teaching is disclosed, comprising a symbol identification dock and a plurality of symbol manipulatives, a computing device connected to the symbol identification dock, and a database, wherein the database comprises lexical data and an adaptive learning curriculum.

Description

SYMBOL MANIPULATION EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AND METHOD

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority of US. Patent

Application No. 16/016,585, filed June 23, 2018.

[0002] US. Patent Application 16/016,585 is a continuation-in-part of

US. Patent Application No. 14/730,232, filed June 3, 2015, which claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/007,413, filed June 4, 2014.

[0003] The contents of the applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

[0004] The present subject matter applies to the field of educational instruction and exploration systems for children, and more specifically relates to a system and method for interactively teaching first and early learners the skills necessary for the symbolic understanding of abstract systems including language, math, and logic using a combination of physical manipulatives, a dock or stage for the physical manipulatives, a software application on an interactive computer device, and an adaptive database system.

Description of Related Art

[0005] Many modem educational applications exist for teaching children the basics of reading, including pre-reading skills such as alphabet recognition and phonemic awareness, numeracy, and logical reasoning. The most recent and innovative of these applications are configured for tablet and smartphone devices because their touchscreens and other ease-of-use features suit them to young children and classroom use, whereas prior applications traditionally used with each generation of personal computers have primarily made use of the mouse and keyboard for interaction. These language education applications used by children on tablets and traditional computer devices make use of on-screen virtual representations of symbols in place of the real physical objects that have traditionally been used in early language education: blocks with symbols displayed on them, or symbol-shaped blocks.

[0006] This traditional use of physically manipulable symbols has evolved many effective teaching strategies well suited to eye-hand manipulation and object-relationship centered stages in early childhood education. It is clear that children learn language best by combining their earliest learning of natural spoken l anguage with learning the symbolic representations of that language. They learn words first as natural language representations of real-world objects, and then are taught to physically manipulate symbolic objects to build visual symbolic representations for those symbols and their combinations in words.

This develops their symbolic memory and mental modeling skills needed to learn the basics of literacy, phonemic awareness, numeracy, and logic.

[0007] There exists a need for a pre-school, pre-kindergarten, and kindergarten education system and method for learning literacy skills that combines the flexibility of interactive tablet devices and educational software applications with the physicality of symbol-shaped manipulatives.

[0008] Early readers must master ordered sets of skills in order to progress through the stages of symbol and language understanding to attain reading fluency. At any stage, a child can have difficulty integrating a subset of atomic or aggregate skills and experience a conceptual barrier that disrupts steady learning progress. Some learners may require additional focused practice with those particular skills, with previously completed skills or an untried set of skills in order to overcome the conceptual barrier and move to the next stage. Other learners may have mild to severe specific learning disabilities and require more focused and selective interventions in their development of these skill sets.

[0009] Educators and parents may not fully understand what these barrier skills are, if other supporting skills are weak or nonexistent, or if there are specific perceptual difficulties that contribute to the barrier. This complicates their ability to provide the right words, the focused demonstration, the needed switch to alternative tasks for associated skill sets, or potential structural or relational changes in the associated symbols that would reduce perceptual or cognitive confusions. [0010] These considerations predicate the need for an educational system and method that continuously assesses a learner's reading or pre-reading literacy skills and dynamically adapts their curriculum to optimize their progress in confronting and overcoming conceptual barriers. In particular, an education system that addresses this need can be framed into three functional components: 1. Real-time assessment of a learner's state of progress (e.g., are they

progressing, or have they hit a conceptual barrier?), 2. Adaptive selection and presentation of optimal teaching methods to overcome learning barriers (e.g., using real-time assessment information to select and respond with optimal teaching methods), and 3. Associative integration of assessments and teaching responses from many learners to adaptively improve teaching responses for all learners (e.g., such that learners at similar stages with similar skill sets receive contextually optimal teaching responses).

SUMMARY

[0011] An object of the present subject matter is to provide an educational system and method that provides a combination of physical manipulatives and software to teach symbol manipulation skills.

[0012] Another object of the present subject matter is to provide an educational system and method that can assess a learner's current literacy skills and then adaptively introduce lessons and tasks to optimize their progress.

[0013] Another object of the present subject matter is to provide an educational system and method that can assist a learner in learning literacy principles by open-ended exploration.

[0014] A system of the present subject matter compri ses a plurality of symbol manipulatives and a symbol identification device that can determine the identity and position of a symbol manipulative and communicate the identity and position to a computing device. The system further comprises a student computing device that is connected to the symbol identification device, comprising a processor, a memory, and an interface for connecting to the symbol identification device. The processor of the student computing device is configured to receive symbol identification data from the symbol identification device and present information to the user. The system further comprises a database that is configured to receive student response data, assess student response data, and make changes to at least one database component. The database comprises at least one of the following components: a personal database component, a lexical database component, a skills database component, a curri culum database component, and a supporting interactions database component.

[0015] The entire database may be located in a cloud, or it may be partially located on the student computing device and partially in the cloud. In an example embodiment, the system further comprises a teacher computing device distinct from the student computing device, wherein the teacher computing device communicates with the student computing device through a remote interface. In that example embodiment, part of the database may be located on the teacher computing device, part on the student computing device, and part in the cloud.

[0016] In an example embodiment, a processor is configured to present a user with at least one task, wherein the task can be completed by connecting symbol manipulatives to the symbol identification dock. Once the user completes the at least one task, the processor determines the percentage of correctly completed tasks and the category of errors made by the user, and records this in the personal database component. The user is then presented with at least one targeted task intended to correct the errors.

[0017] The tasks may be organized into categories, for example, comprising the following: tasks related to phonological awareness, tasks related to letter-sound correspondence, tasks related to consonant blends and digraphs, tasks related to complex vowels, and tasks related to multisyllabic words.

[0018] The tasks may be organized into key skill domains, for example, where the key skill domains comprise the following: print concepts,

phonological awareness, phonics, spelling, writing, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.

[0019] The symbol manipulatives may comprise letter shapes, number shapes, logographic shapes, or symbol shapes.

[0020] In an example embodiment, the processor may also be configured to identify any symbol manipulatives connected to the symbol identification dock, generate a pronunciation for the symbol manipulatives, and use at least one effector to present the pronunciation to the user. [0021] In an example embodiment, the student computing device is a tablet.

[0022] In an example embodiment, the student computing device is wirelessly connected to the symbol identification dock.

[0023] A method of the present subject matter comprises presenting a student with a plurality of symbol manipulatives and a symbol identification dock, wherein symbol manipulatives may be placed on the symbol identification dock, wherein the symbol identification dock identifies the symbol

manipulatives placed on it, and wherein the symbol identification dock is connected to a student computing device. The student is then presented with a first task, wherein the task can be completed by placing symbol manipulatives on the symbol identification dock. The task is derived from a curriculum database component, which comprises, for example, curricula, lessons, tasks, games, and open exploration activities, or any combination of the above. The system then detects any symbol manipulatives connected to the symbol identification dock in response to the first task, detects if the task was performed correctly, and if the task was performed incorrectly, determines the type of error made by the student. The student's response to the first task is then used to assess the student's skill level on at least one skill, such as physical manipulation skill, memory skill, perceptual skill, mental modeling skill, or any combinati on of these. The assessment is then recorded in the personal database component, which comprises, for example, at least one of the following: a lesson plan, a response record, a supporting interactions record, and a specific learning interaction record for the individual student.

[0024] In an example embodiment, if a student places any symbol manipulative incorrectly during the performance of a task, the student is provided with at least one of the fol lowing: an encouragement, a suggestion, a hint, an instructive model, an intervention.

[0025] In an example embodiment, the time period between any two symbol manipulatives being placed on the symbol identification dock is measured. If there is an unusual delay, the student is provided with at least one of the following: an encouragement, a suggestion, a hint, an instructive model, an intervention. [0026] In an example embodiment, if the student's response to the first task was incorrect, the student is presented with a second task, wherein the second task comprises a targeted intervention intended to focus on the type of error made by the student.

[0027] In an example embodiment, if the student's response to the first task was correct, the student is presented with a second task, wherein the second task comprises the same type of task as the first task and requires a faster response time than the first task.

[0028] In an example embodiment, if the student's response to the first task was correct, the student is presented with a second task, wherein the second task is more advanced than the first task.

[0029] In an example embodiment, a method of the present subject matter comprises presenting a student with a plurality of symbol manipulatives and a symbol identification dock, wherein symbol manipulatives may be placed on the symbol identification dock, wherein the symbol identification dock identifies the symbol manipulatives placed on it, and wherein the symbol identification dock is connected to a student computing device. Any symbol manipulatives connected to the symbol identification dock are then identified. The student computing device then generates a pronunciation for the symbol manipul atives and presents the pronunciation to the student using the at least one effector.

LIST OF FIGURES

[0030] Figure 1 shows an example embodiment of a system of the present subject matter.

[0031] Figure 2 shows an example embodiment of a symbol

identification dock and symbol manipulatives of the present subject matter.

[0032] Figures 3 A and 3B show a flowchart for a process of teaching letter- sound correspondence in accordance with the present subject matter.

[0033] Figure 4 shows a sample entry for a lexical database of the present subject matter. DEFINITIONS

[0034] For purposes of the present disclosure, a "child," a "student," a

"user," or a "learner" is a person who is using a system of the present subject matter. A "computing device" is a laptop computer, desktop computer, tablet, smartphone, wearable computer, or any other computing device capable of running the educational software of the present subject matter and connecting with the symbol identification dock.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The present subject matter offers example systems and methods for pre-school, pre-ki ndergarten, and kindergarten children to learn the symbolic expression of a language as they are learning its spoken form. These example systems are configured for their independent learning through a guided curriculum with little oversight other than initial introduction and ongoing supportive attention. These example methods serve to select a current best or optimal curriculum for the child's assessed language skills, to measure a child's progress, and to recognize learning barriers as they occur and adaptively change the teaching instructions to overcome those barriers. The example methods continuously evaluate the effectiveness of teaching changes made for many children in order to optimize and customize curriculum, lessons, tasks, and intervention responses for every child.

[0036] The present subject matter is directed to instructional systems for teaching abstract thinking and symbol manipulation via physical manipulatives combined with a computing device. While several described example embodiments of the subject matter use letter-shaped manipulatives to teach literacy skills, it will be understood that other applications of the present subject matter may incorporate other symbol manipulatives, such as numbers, logographic characters, or any other symbols.

Overview of System

[0037] The present subject matter is directed to instructional systems for teaching abstract thinking and symbol manipulation to children as they interact with physical manipulatives and a computing device. This physical manipulation of abstract symbols is a key element of the present subject matter, because in early literacy learning, the patterns of physical manipulation are transformed into simil ar patterns of mental manipulation. While several example embodiments of the present subject matter use letter-shaped manipulatives to teach literacy skills, it will be understood that other applications of the present subject matter may incorporate other symbol manipulatives, such as numbers, logographic characters, or any other symbols.

[0038] In the example embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1, a student system

120 comprises a student computing device 180 on which a teaching application 182 executes to present instructions and tasks related to a customizable curriculum to a student 1 10 by using visual and audio instructions 143. The student 1 10 responds with touch and voice interactions 112 and by selecting and connecting symbol manipulatives 124 to a symbol identification dock 121 (e.g., by placing them in recesses 122 on the top surface of the dock 121). The symbol identification dock 121 uniquely determines the identity (e.g., name) and position of each connected symbol manipulative and communicates the identity and location of symbol manipulatives as they are connected to the teaching application 182 over a wireless link 123.

[0039] In the illustrated example embodiment, the student computing device 180 is a tablet computer, such as an iPad^1® or Android^® tablet, that connects with the symbol identification dock 121 over a Bluetooth^® wireless link 123, or through any other wireless or wired connection that may be used. The student computing device 180 may comprise effectors for output (e.g., a display screen and speakers) and sensors for input. In the illustrated example

embodiment, the sensors are a microphone and a camera.

[0040] As an interaction progresses, the teaching application 182 can pass real-time indications of the learning interaction to a teacher system 150, a cloud system 160, or both, and receive responses of real-time teaching changes from one or both these systems 150 and 160. The teaching application 182 communicates with the teacher system 150 and the cloud system 160 over wireless connections 148 and 149. The real-time interaction information sent includes, for example: correct and incorrect letter selections, speed of response, voice and touch responses, and other indications of the student's engagement in the learning process. [0041] The student system 120, the teacher system 150, and the cloud system 160 may comprise separate applications and a joint teaching database.

The teaching application 182 serves to present instructional material and interact with a student, to assess a student's responses, and to manage the curriculum, lessons, tasks, and supportive interactions by accessing the joint teaching database.

[0042] The applications and teaching databases in the teacher and cloud systems 150 and 160 receive student interaction data, assess student responses to instruction, and in turn provide real-time changes to curriculum, lessons, tasks, and supportive interactions back to the teaching application 182.

[0043] In an example embodiment, the teaching database in the teaching application 182 is a smaller subset of the teaching database in the teacher system 150, which in turn is a smaller subset of the teaching database in the cloud system 160. When the teaching application 182 is not connected to teacher and cloud systems 150 and 160, it can make use of a teaching database subset to teach students in a standalone mode. While connected, it may rely on either the database in the teacher system 150 or the cloud system 160.

[0044] These applications and databases together form a complete teaching system that is adaptive in providing real-time instructions to meet each student's need as they progress through their learning engagements. The applications in each of these systems additionally serve to optimize the joint teaching database over time as the effectiveness of teaching instructions presented to many children are continuously evaluated and integrated.

Symbol Dock and Manipulatives

[0045] In the example embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2, a symbol identification dock 220 comprises eight recessed letter spaces 221 that serve both as containers to position and align symbol or letter manipulatives 210, and as letter readers providing an information connection between the letters and the dock 220.

[0046] In the illustrated example embodiment, the symbol or letter manipulatives 210 are letter-shaped to make the learning experience tactile, as well as visual. In other example embodiments, one or more symbol

manipulatives 210 may be shaped like rectangular tiles with three-dimensional letter protrusions on them, as alphabet blocks with letters on the faces, or in other forms that facilitate manipulation and symbol identification.

[0047] The symbol identification dock 220 comprises a board accommodating letter arrangements that can sense identities and relative positions of letters that are placed on, connected to, touching, or in close proximity to, it. The symbol identification dock 220 additionally comprises a processor and memory to enable the sensing and identification of letters and communication of the identified properties of each letter to the student's computing device 180.

[0048] In the illustrated example embodiment, the symbol or letter connections to the symbol identification dock 220 are comprised of "letter reader" matrices of capacitive sensing pads in the bottom of each recessed letter space 221. These sensing pads read the encoded pattern of conductive pads on the bottom of inserted letters to determine the unique ID of each letter, e.g. "A."

[0049] While the example embodiment illustrated comprises capacitive identification and sensing means to identify letters, a wide range of other identification and sensing means can be used, including, for example: direct electrical connection, RFID tags and sensors, optical sensing, and magnetic sensing.

[0050] In an example embodiment, the symbol manipulatives 210 may also be colored differently, have different textures to make the learning experience even more sensory, or both. For example, vowels may be colored differently from consonants in another example embodiment, the symbol manipulatives 210 may also comprise Braille patterns for the letter in question. The symbol manipulatives 210 may be made of a nontoxic and durable material that is safe for young children to use.

[0051] In another example embodiment, the symbol identification dock

220 has a backlit surface that illuminates each recessed letter space 221, such that the user (e.g., a child) knows where to place the letter. This can be, for example, an underline, a dot, the entire perimeter of the letter space, or the entire letter space. The symbol manipulatives 210 may also be translucent or partially translucent, such that they can glow when selected. The backlighting may also be used to illuminate particular letters; for example, letters that comprise compound consonants such as TH may be backlit, or silent letters may be backlit, depending on the needs of the user.

[0052] In yet another example embodiment, the symbol identification dock 220 additionally comprises a stand to support and orient the student computing device 180, a storage space to store symbol manipulatives that are not in use, or both.

Teaching Modes and Applications

[0053] The teaching application 182 of the present subject matter comprises a range of seamlessly linked applications and separate applications that serve to tutor students in language literacy. These applications provide a range of interaction modes, including, for example, curri culum-ori ented applications with formal lessons and tasks, competitive game oriented applications, and open-ended exploratory, play-oriented applications.

Curriculum Applications

[0054] The primary teaching applications of the present subject matter comprise integrated sub-applications that instruct students by presenting learning tasks in a range of forms or modes. These modes may include, for example, formal tasks for trial and error learning, speed-test games as assessments of progress, and interactive communication with virtual playmates providing encouragement, support, and coaching. The focus of these sub-applications ranges from rapid learning to slower paced consolidation and reinforcement of just learned skills. A child's pace in lesson tasks, assessment as games, and virtual playmate modes is steady and learning focused.

Game Applications

[0055] The present subject matter may be used for learning games that are independent of any curriculum or assessment. Any games that require a child to place symbol manipulatives 210 on the symbol identification dock 220 as the interaction may be part of the present subject matter. As a non-limiting list of possible example embodiments, such games may be or include, for example, interactive stories that require a child to fill in words in the story or create new stories based on words the child inputs, letter-sound matching games that require a child to find a letter that matches the sound or vice versa, and so on.

Open-ended Play

[0056] The English language (as well as many other languages) has complex rules of pronunciation and spelling that are not easy to explain or articulate to a small child. Accordingly, it is a more efficient process to enable the child to simply explore different letter combinations and their

pronunciations, so that the child can learn the rules of pronunciation implicitly.

[0057] In an example embodiment of the present subject matter, a child is encouraged to connect symbol manipulatives 210 to the symbol identification dock 220 in any order or any combination. The symbol identification dock 220 then identifies the symbol manipulatives 210 and their order and sends that information to the student computing device 180 The student computing device 180 then uses the lexical database to look up the pronunciation for the particular combination of symbol manipulatives 210 created by the child. In an alternate example embodiment, the student computing device 180 comprises a set of rules for generating pronunciations for letter combinations based on the phonics rules for the English language, and those rules are applied to the letter combination to generate a pronunciation for the particular combination of symbol manipulatives 210 created by the child.

[0058] In an example embodiment, if a child is placing symbol manipulatives 210 in an open-ended undirected way, and ends up creating a word (for example, "CAT"), either intentionally or accidentally, the student computing device 180 recognizes the word and displays an image or animation of a cat on the screen, in addition to generating a pronunciation for the word.

Assessing Learning Performance

[0059] In an example embodiment, the present subject matter comprises software that comprises lessons intended to teach literacy skills to students. In such an example embodiment, the lessons may be organized into an integrated learning path comprising one or more (e.g., 7) key skill domains, including, for example: Print Concepts, Phonological Awareness, Phonics, Spelling/W riting, Vocabulary, Fluency, and Comprehension. [0060] The curriculum may be presented to a student in teaching phases, defined as steps in learning literacy skills. Each teaching phase covers a particular lesson or concept that is presented sequentially, such that subsequent stages are reached only by mastering prior stages. In an example embodiment, the teaching phases are or include:

a. Phase 1 : Phonological awareness (e.g., focusing on initial

phonol ogi cal/phonemic awareness building activities, songs/rhymes, stories, spoken phoneme blending and segmenting, introduction to A-Z letter identifi cati on, or any combination of these).

b. Phase 2: Letters and Sounds (e.g., introducing 26 letters and sounds, phoneme segmenting/blending with letters, introducing high-frequency and partially decodable words, starting blending/segmenting VC/CV/CVC with letters, writing/tracing letters, or any combination of these).

c. Phase 3: Consonant Blends, Digraphs (e.g., focusing on consonant blends and digraphs, decoding/spelling CCVC/CVCC words with introduced blends, reading sentences, or any combination of these).

d. Phase 4: Complex Vowels (e.g., focusing on vowel digraphs, long vowels, silent e, R-control, diphthongs, decoding/ spelling CVVC, CCVVC, and CVVCC words, deriving words' meanings from context, reading paragraphs, or any combinati on of these).

e. Phase 5: Complex Words (e.g., focusing on reading and spelling multisyllabic words, words with inflectional endings, affixes, complex ending patterns, writing sentences, reading longer text passages, or any combination of these).

[0061] Each phase may comprise lessons and tasks that incorporate each one of the one or more (e.g., 7) key skill domains.

[0062] An instruction flow chart for the "Letters and Sounds" part of the curriculum is illustrated in Figs. 3A and 3B. The instructions start with a child learning letter sounds. At the beginning of the letter-sound interaction, the child's letter- sound correspondence skills are either assessed or derived from past interactions; those that the child knows are put into the "mastery bucket;" and those that they have difficulty with or don't know are put into the "learning bucket" and are saved as well in the child's personal database portion of the teaching database. [0063] The correspondences in the "learning bucket" are then presented to the child in a game-like context along one of two separate tracks. The track that a child takes depends on whether the child has greater difficulty with the visual (e.g., letter shapes) or aural (e.g., letter sounds) aspects of the learning experience.

[0064] Along the visual track, the child is encouraged to use physical symbol manipulatives 210 to match letters on the screen, to match uppercase and lowercase letters, and to trace letters on the touchscreen. Along the aural track, the child is presented with a letter song/chant, is encouraged to echo a letter sound, to match pictures and sounds, and to articulate sounds with audio feedback. After all of the letter-sound correspondences in the "learning bucket" have been covered, the child is given a "review game" to repeat the assessment of their current level of letter- sound mastery.

[0065] When a child’s level of letter- sound mastery reaches 70-90% of the letter-sound correspondences, they are moved on to a letter-sound speed game, where they are given tasks by animated characters in a fun game-like atmosphere to improve student engagement. As the student performs each task, their performance on the task is assessed in real-time. The variables used to assess student performance in this interactive play may comprise, among others, the speed of letter placement, pauses during the task, and errors made by the student. The assessment of a child's performance in the letter-sound speed game is then used to evaluate the student on at least one dimension of literacy skills.

[0066] As an example, if a child consistently makes an error with the

"CH" in the word CHURCH, the system may determine that this is an error characteri stic for the student and include that in the assessment. The student may then be given lessons that focus on the CH phoneme. In an example

embodiment, lessons that focus on a particular issue may be "scaffolded" to provide the student with the optimal environment to improve learning.

An example of scaffolding would be: since phonemes at the start of a word are easier to hear than phonemes at the end of a word, the child may first be presented with words that start with CH, and only after that step is mastered would the child be given words that end with CH. In an example embodiment, since language data is tracked, if the child is Spanish-speaking bilingual, the child may also be given CH words in Spanish. [0067] In an example embodiment, a "learner profile" (e.g., an assessment of the learner's performance) is continually updated as the learner performs more and more tasks. This leads to a highly individualized adaptive curriculum that is tailored to the particular learner and their individual needs.

Database

Lexical Database Component

[0068] The present subject matter comprises a database that comprises several components. One of these components is a lexi cal database component, which may be stored in the cloud system 160. A smaller subset of the lexical database may be located on a teacher's computing device for easier access, and an even smaller subset of the lexical database, comprising just the most common words, pronunciations, related words, and tags, may be located on the student computing device 180 or in the symbol identification dock 220 itself. In an example embodiment, the entire lexical database is located in the cloud and the student and teacher computing devices simply draw all their data from the cloud. In another example embodiment, the entire lexical database is located on the student computing device 180 or the symbol identification dock 220 for a standalone system.

[0069] The lexical database may comprise any lexical data 521 and 521 that may be needed for teaching literacy skills. In an example embodiment, the lexical database comprises a list of words that may be relevant to a student learning to read. Each word is associated with an index number 510, a pronunciation, the phonemes comprising the word, common errors made in spelling that word, an image or video of the object or concept described by the word (e.g., along with any associated data such as the sound made by an animal or what the animal eats), and pointers to words (identified by index number) that rhyme with that word, compound words that comprise that word, homographs, homonyms, and so on. For example, the entry 500 for CAT may look like the one pictured in Fig. 4.

[0070] In an example embodiment, the lexical database may also comprise multiple languages. For example, the entry for CAT may also comprise GATO (in Spanish) or KOT (in Russian). [0071] In an example embodiment, the lexical database may comprise separate classes of errors, based on the child's cognitive skill s and morphologies of specific learning disorders. For example, some errors may be very typical and diagnostic of dyslexia. For example, if a child spells CAT as TAC, the system may classify the error as "potential for dyslexia".

[0072] In an example embodiment, each word and each phoneme is also associated with any lessons that teach literacy skills for which that particular word or that particular phoneme is relevant. For example, the word CHURCH may be associated with lessons that teach the CH phoneme.

[0073] It will be understood that the lexical database may comprise any combination of the above data and that the present subject matter is not limited to the particular types of data provided in the examples given above.

Personal Database

[0074] The database may also comprise a personal database component.

The personal database component comprises information about the student, including the learner profile mentioned above. The personal database component may also comprise information such as the student's age, any specific learning indications or challenges, the student's native language, and any "personal words" specific to the student, such as names of family members or pets, the student's name, or any special words unique to the user, along with the same information about each "personal word" as is present in the lexical database for any other word.

[0075] In an example embodiment, the personal database also includes the response record for the student, the skills record for the student (e.g., evaluations based on each one of the literacy skills in the one or more skill domains), any supporting interactions record for the student (e.g., how often the student received hints or other assistance as described below), or any

combination of these.

Skills Database

[0076] In an example embodiment, the database also comprises a skills database component, recording any literacy or pre-literacy skills on which the student may need to be assessed. The skill s database includes, for example, physical manipulation skills, memory skills, perceptual skills, mental modeling skills, and any combination of these skills into an aggregate skill.

Curriculum Database

[0077] In an example embodiment, the database also comprises a curriculum database component. The curriculum database includes at least one curriculum, where each curriculum is organized into lessons, and each lesson is organized into tasks. The curriculum database may also include games and open exploration activities relevant to the curriculum. The composition of the curriculum in an example embodiment of the present subject matter is described above.

Supporting Interactions Database

[0078] In an example embodiment, the database also comprises a supporting interactions database component. The supporting interactions database component comprises one or more encouraging messages (e.g., "You can do it!"), suggestions and hints for how to complete tasks (e.g., "The letter you need is round! "), instructive models, interventions, or any combination of these. In an example embodiment, the system detects when a student makes an error during the completion of a task or pauses for an unusually long time during the completion of a task, and locates an appropriate intervention in the supporting interactions database. The appropriate intervention may be an encouragement, a simple hint, a more detailed explanation, or any combination of these.

[0079] It is to be understood that the presently described subject matter is not limited to particular aspects described and, thus, may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only, and is not intended to be limiting.

[0080] Where a range of values is provided, it is understood that each intervening value, to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, between the upper and lower limit of that range and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range, is encompassed within the present subject matter. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included in the smaller ranges and are also encompassed within the present subject matter, subject to any specifically excluded limit in the stated range. Where the stated range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included in the present subject matter.

[0081] Certain ranges are presented herein with numerical values being preceded by the term "about." The term "about" is used herein to provide literal support for the exact number that it precedes, as well as a number that is near to or approximately the number that the term precedes. In determining whether a number is near to or approximately a specifically recited number, the near or approximating unrecited number may be a number which, in the context in which it is presented, provides the substantial equivalent of the specifically recited number.

[0082] Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present subject matter belongs. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also be used in the practice or testing of the present subject matter, representative illustrative methods and materials are herein described.

[0083] It is noted that, as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It is further noted that the claims may be drafted to exclude any optional element. As such, this statement is intended to serve as antecedent basis for use of such exclusive terminology as "solely," "only," and the like in connection with the recitation of claim elements or use of a "negative" limitation.

[0084] As will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading this disclosure, each of the individual aspects described and illustrated herein has discrete components and features which may be readily separated from or combined with the features of any of the other several aspects without departing from the scope of the present subject matter. Any recited method can be carried out in the order of events recited or in any other order which is logically possible.

[0085] Although example embodiments the present subject matter have been described in some detail by way of il lustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the teachings of this subject matter that certain changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

[0086] Accordingly, the preceding merely illustrates the principles of the presently disclosed subject matter. It will be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements which, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the subject matter and are included within its scope. Furthermore, all examples and conditional language recited herein are principally intended to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the subject matter and the concepts contributed by the inventors to furthering the art and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles and aspects of the subject matter, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents and equivalents developed in the future, i.e., any elements developed that perform the same functi on, regardless of structure. The scope of the present subject matter, therefore, is not intended to be limited to the example aspects shown and described herein.

Claims

1. A system for teaching, comprising:

a plurality of symbol manipulatives;

a symbol identification device that can determine the identity and

position of any symbol manipulative and communicate the identity and position to a computing device;

a student computing device connected to the symbol identification

device, wherein the student computing device comprises a processor, a memory, and an interface for connecting to the symbol identification device;

wherein the processor is configured by means of software and data to perform actions comprising:

receive symbol identification data from the symbol

identification device; and

present information to a user;

a database, configured by means of software and data to perform actions comprising:

receive student response data from at least one processor

connected to the symbol identification device;

assess the student response data from the at least one processor connected to the symbol identification device to determine a measure of student understanding;

make changes to at least one database component; and respond to at least one processor connected to the symbol

identification device with teaching data;

wherein the database comprises at least one of the following

components:

a personal database component, wherein the personal database component comprises at least one of the following:

a lesson plan for an individual student;

a response record of the individual student;

a skills record of the individual student;

a supporting interactions record of the individual student; a specific learning indications record of the individual student;

at least one personal word, wherein a personal word is selected from the following categories:

names of family members or pets, name of the user, special words unique to the user; a pronunciation of the at least one personal word;

phonemes comprising the at least one personal word; images associated with the at least one personal word; data associated with the at least one personal word; at least one rhyming word associated with the at least one personal word;

at least one homophone associated with the at least one personal word; or

at least one common error made by students in spelling the at least one personal word;

a lexical database component, wherein the lexical database

component comprises at least one of the fol lowing: at least one word;

a pronunciation of the at least one word;

phonemes comprising the at least one word;

images associated with the at least one word;

data associated with the at least one word;

at least one rhyming word associated with the at least one word;

at least one homophone associated with the at least one word;

at least one common error made by students in spelling the at least one word;

at least one translation of the at least one word into a foreign language;

at least one syllable;

a pronunciation of the at least one syllable; or phonemes comprising the at least one syllable; a skills database component, wherein the skills database component comprises at least one of the following:

at least one physical manipulation skill;

at least one memory skill;

at least one perceptual skill;

at least one mental modeling skill; or at least one combination of skills into an aggregate skill; a curriculum database component, wherein the curriculum

database component comprises at least one of the following:

at least one curriculum;

at least one lesson;

at least one task;

at least one game; or

at least one open exploration activity;

a supporting interactions database component, wherein the

supporting interactions database component comprises at least one of the following:

at least one encouragement;

at least one suggestion;

at least one hint;

at least one instructive model; or

at least one intervention.

2. The system of Claim 1 , wherein the entire database is located in a cloud.

3. The system of Claim 1, wherein part of the database is located on the student computing device and part of the database is located in a cloud.

4. The system of Claim 1 , further comprising:

a teacher computing device distinct from the student computing device, wherein the teacher computing device communicates with the student computing device through a remote interface.

5. The system of Claim 4, wherein part of the database is located on the student computi ng device, part of the database is l ocated on the teacher computing device, and part of the database is located in a cloud.

6. The system of Claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to perform actions comprising:

present a user with at least one task, wherein the task can be completed by connecting symbol manipulatives to the symbol identification dock;

once the user completes the at least one task, determine a percentage of correctly completed tasks and a category of errors made by the user;

record the percentage of correctly completed tasks and the category of errors in the personal database component; and

present the user with at least one targeted task intended to correct an error in the category of errors made by the user.

7. The system of Claim 6, wherein tasks are organized into categories, wherein the categories comprise:

tasks related to phonological awareness;

tasks related to letter-sound correspondence;

tasks related to consonant blends and digraphs;

tasks related to complex vowels; and

tasks related to multisyllabic words.

8. The system of Claim 6, wherein tasks are organized into key skill domains, where the key skill domains comprise:

print concepts;

phonological awareness;

phonics;

spelling and writing;

vocabulary;

fluency; and

comprehension.

9. The system of Claim 1, wherein the symbol manipulatives comprise letter shapes.

10. The system of Claim 1, wherein the symbol manipulatives comprise number shapes.

11. The system of Claim 1, wherein the symbol manipulatives comprise logographic shapes.

12. The system of Claim 1, wherein the symbol manipulatives comprise symbol shapes.

13. The system of Claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to perform actions comprising:

identify any symbol manipulatives connected to the symbol identification dock;

generate a pronunciation for the symbol manipulatives; and

present the pronunciation to the user.

14. The system of Claim 1, wherein the student computing device is a tablet.

15. The system of Claim 1, wherein the student computing device and the symbol identification dock are connected to each other wirelessly.

16. A method of teaching symbol manipulation, comprising:

presenting a student with a plurality of symbol manipulatives and a

symbol identification dock, wherein symbol manipulatives may be placed on the symbol identification dock, wherein the symbol identification dock identifies the symbol manipulatives placed on it, wherein the symbol identification dock is connected to a student computing device;

presenting the student with a first task, wherein the task can be completed by placing symbol manipulatives on the symbol identification dock, wherein the first task is derived from a curriculum database component, wherein the curriculum database component comprises at least one of the following:

at least one curriculum, the at least one curriculum comprising at least one lesson;

at least one lesson, the at least one lesson comprising at least one task;

at least one task;

at least one game; or

at least one open exploration activity;

detecting any symbol manipulatives connected to the symbol

identification dock in response to the first task;

determining if the first task was performed correctly;

if the first task was performed incorrectly, determining a type of error made by the student;

using the student's response to the first task to assess the student's skill level on at least one of the following skills:

at least one physical manipulation skill;

at least one memory skill;

at least one perceptual skill;

at least one mental modeling skill; or

at least one combination of skills into an aggregate skill; and recording the student's skill level in a personal database component, wherein the personal database component comprises at least one of the following:

a lesson plan for an individual student;

a response record of the individual student;

a skills record of the individual student;

a supporting interactions record of the individual student; or a specific learning indications record of the individual student.

17. The method of Claim 16, further comprising:

after each letter manipulative is connected to the symbol identification dock in response to the first task, determining whether or not it is correct; and

if it is incorrect, providing the student with at least one of the following: at least one encouragement;

at least one suggestion;

at least one hint;

at least one instructive model; or

at least one intervention.

18. The method of Claim 16, further comprising:

monitoring a time period between any two letter manipulatives being connected to the symbol identification dock in response to the first task; and

if any time period is longer than a predetermined time period, providing the student with at least one of the following:

at least one encouragement;

at least one suggestion;

at least one hint;

at least one instructive model; or

at least one intervention.

19. The method of Claim 16, further comprising:

if the student's response to the first task was incorrect, presenting the student with a second task, wherein the second task comprises a targeted intervention intended to focus on the type of error made by the student.

20. The method of Claim 16, further comprising:

if the student's response to the first task was correct, presenting the

student with a second task, wherein the second task comprises the same type of task as the first task and requires a faster response time than the first task.

21. The method of Claim 16, further comprising:

if the student's response to the first task was correct, presenting the student with a second task, wherein the second task is more advanced than the first task.

22. A method of teaching phonics, comprising:

presenting a student with a plurality of symbol manipulatives and a symbol identification dock, wherein symbol manipulatives may be placed on the symbol identification dock, wherein the symbol identification dock identifies the symbol manipulatives placed on it, wherein the symbol identification dock is connected to a student computing device, wherein the student computing device comprises at least one effector;

detecting and identifying any symbol manipulatives connected to the symbol identification dock;

generating a pronunciation for the symbol manipulatives; and using at least one effector to present the pronunciation to the student.