Patent Application
20090061398
The present invention relates generally to teaching machines and, more particularly concerns a method and system most advantageously used for teaching a language. The methodology also is applicable to fields outside of language teaching.
Traditional methods for teaching a language, in particular a foreign language, are far from enjoyable for the student. He must spend a great deal of time learning rules of grammar and syntax and must memorize words as translations of the same words in his own language. The only exposure to correct pronunciation might be on a recording or during “discussions” in the classroom. At those times, the student finds himself mentally composing his recitation in his native language and then translating it. The usual result is a halting, stilted recital, replete with grammatical and syntactic errors introduced by the impromptu translation process. A student who learns a language this way may be totally lost during a conversation among native speakers of the language.
On the other hand, when we first learn a language as young children, the experience is entirely different. We are fully immersed in a natural learning process in which we learn words, grammar and syntax interactively, through deductive reasoning, in context, and by emulating others. In time, we develop a flowing communication style, without the need to translate or to be concerned about rules. It would be desirable to be able to emulate this kind of learning process in learning a second language.
Such systems of teaching a user language using immersion are known to some extent in the prior art. However, to best measure the user's progress and help in learning to speak, the system must cause the user to speak naturally. Simply showing the user target language text to be read aloud is less than optimum, because read speech is not spoken the same way as natural speech not being read. Thus, any computer system being used in the teaching process will not really be measuring natural language speaking.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a language teaching system that can be used to cause natural speech to occur in a target language to assist in the user practicing, the system measuring progress, and the user learning to speak natively.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a student is taught a language through the introduction of target expressions including features, such as specific words or phrases and language structure. The student is presented one or more reference expressions made up of the target expression with one or more of its features altered, while maintaining semantic meaningfulness, and he is prompted with a prompting expression designed to elicit the target expression as a response, in view of the presented reference expressions.
For example, the student might be presented a series of reference expressions in writing, in a graphic presentation, and/or in audible form. Each reference expression preferably varies from the target expression in one feature, although more than one feature is also possible. That feature may be a word or phrase, or it may be a variation in structure. The target expression is then presented in graphic form (a prompting expression), or some other non-literal form, and the student is prompted to write and/or speak the target expression.
It is a feature of the invention that a target expression is learned without it ever being presented to the student in the form sought to be taught. Instead, the student learns it interactively, entirely in the language being studied, by analogy and through deductive reasoning. In other words, the student is not just memorizing words, phrases and rules but is actually discovering the language.
It will be appreciated that this form of teaching also incorporates an element of entertainment, which makes the learning process more interesting and retains the student's attention.
The foregoing brief description, as well as further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be understood more completely from the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments with reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:
It is contemplated that a system embodying the present invention could be realized by making use of a personal computer.
In operation of the system, the student receives graphic and text communications via the display and audible communications, such as spoken language, via the speaker. He may provide textual responses via the keyboard and spoken responses via the microphone. For purposes of illustration, it will be assumed that the student is being taught a foreign language.
In accordance with the method of the present invention, a student learns a language by being taught a series of “target expressions.” An expression may be a sentence, but it can be a simple clause. An expression is made up of “features”, including not only words and phrases, but also language structure. As used herein, “language structure” will be understood to mean not only specific structure, such as sentence structure, but also semantics, form, gender number, case, level of formality or any other similar variables.
The target expression is taught to the student without ever being presented directly in text for reading by the student. Optionally, the system may also exclude presenting the expression orally. Instead, the student is presented with at least one reference expression and, preferably, a plurality of reference expressions. A reference expression resembles the target expression but has at least one feature altered, while maintaining semantic meaningfulness. The altered feature may be a word or phrase, or it might be an alteration in structure. After the reference expressions are present, the student is prompted with a prompting expression, which is designed to elicit the target expression as a response, in view of the reference expression.
From the point of view of the system, a set of target expressions would be stored in the memory of the computer C and/or in disk storage, or the like. The teaching computer program accesses these in turn. As is well known the sequence may be adaptive in relationship to the student's progress. The sequence may also depend upon which other words and phrases in the system that the system concludes have been properly mastered by the student.
After a target sequence is selected, the program generates one or more reference expressions, from the target expression, by modifying features in the target expression. The program is designed to assure that the reference sequences are semantically meaningful in the language being taught. Preferably a sequence of reference expressions is presented to the student in graphic and written form on the display of computer C and in spoken form via speaker S. These are followed by a prompting expression, preferably the target expression in graphic form only, with an instruction to write and speak the expression. The student's response is received via the keyboard and microphone M, and program in computer C compares it to the correct response.
Preferably, an incorrect response will result in the computer program generating new reference expressions for the target expression, followed by the same prompting expression. A correct response will cause the program to move on to the next target expression. However, the fact that the target expression was incorrectly articulated by the user may be used by the system in any of a variety of manners to adjust future lessons in the target language. For example, the system could emphasize the incorrectly articulated words and concepts. Thus, if the user saw a horse, but stated the target language for a chicken, the system could go to a lesson that teaches the manner in which to say chicken or horse or both.
This process will be demonstrated with an example. Suppose the student is to be taught the target expression “the dog is on the ground”.
In shortcut form, the target expression can be represented as “The Y is on the B”, where Y is “dog” and B is “ground”, and this sequence of expressions can be represented as follows:
The last expression is a prompt only, not the actual expression.
The student's responses are compared with the correct ones, and upon the occurrence of a match, the student is praised and moves on to the next target expression. Should the student provide the wrong response, he will be presented with a new series of reference expressions, in an effort to elicit the correct response. Should the student provide the correct response by with an inaccurate pronunciation, the correct pronunciation is played through speaker S, and the student may be requested to repeat it.
Thus, the response from the computer system may be different depending upon whether the student gave the incorrect response or whether he gave the correct response but with an incorrect pronunciation.
In the preceding example, the reference expressions differ from the target expression in that one word was different.
It should be appreciated that the relatively simple expressions have been utilized for the purpose of illustration. In practice, most sophisticated and complex expressions could be utilized, especially for more advanced students. An example of a more complex series of expressions might be:
It is noted that the manner in which the reference expression is presented, and the manner in which the target expression is conveyed by the student, need not be limited to the images, text, and audio as exemplified above. Instead, other combinations are possible. For example, a user can have the reference expression displayed in test and spoken in audio, and be prompted to pick an image that corresponds to the target expression. Or, a user can be prompted with the reference expression in text and images, and be asked to convey the target expression in text, or orally, or both.
The target and reference expressions can themselves include combinations of the foregoing. For example, if the reference expression includes two phrases, one can be conveyed with an image and text, and another phrase can be conveyed with an image an audio. Various combinations of audio, text and images may be used for the target or reference expressions, or for the phrases comprising them.
Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that many additions, modifications and substitutions are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims.
