Method and system for teaching vocabulary
A method using a spatial-temporal software game for both teaching math concepts to a child and for scoring the child's proficiency in these math concepts. These scores are compared with the child's performance on a language-based test of the math concepts. If the child's score on the language-based test is lower than what is reflected by the child's game scores, instruction is given the child using stories and flashcards related to the spatial-temporal software games so that the child will relate vocabulary terms with the math concepts and characters in the temporal-spatial software game.
1. A computerized method operating on a computing device for improving a student's score on a language-based test by relating understood spatial-temporal concepts to less-understood language-based concepts, the method comprising:
determining an initial language-based proficiency level in a subject by administering an initial language-based test having a list of language terms to the student;
interactively displaying animated characters and spatial-temporal features corresponding to at least a portion of the language terms which are controllable by student input so as to teach the subject to the student;
determining a conceptual proficiency level based on the student's performance in the interactive display;
determining a subsequent language-based proficiency level in the subject by administering a subsequent language-based test to the student;
comparing the conceptual proficiency level with the subsequent language-based proficiency level; and
if the conceptual proficiency level is less than the subsequent language-based proficiency level, displaying information to the student which associates concepts represented by language from either the initial or the subsequent language-based test to corresponding concepts represented by animated characters used in the interactive display.
2. The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein the displayed information is digital flashcards or a story.
3. A computerized method operating on a computing device for improving a student's score on a language-based test by relating spatial-temporal concepts to language-based concepts, the method comprising:
determining a language-based proficiency level in a subject by administering a language-based test having a list of language terms to the student;
interactively displaying spatial-temporal features corresponding to at least a portion of the language terms which are controllable by student input so as to teach the subject to the student;
determining a conceptual proficiency level based on the student's performance in the interactive display;
comparing the conceptual proficiency level in the subject with the language-based proficiency level in the subject;
associating the language-based concepts tested by the language-based test to corresponding spatial-temporal concepts based on the result of the comparing; and
displaying information to the student indicative of the association of the language-based concepts and the corresponding spatial-temporal concepts.
4. The computerized method of claim 3 , wherein the language-based concepts comprise a list of vocabulary terms.
5. The computerized method of claim 4 , wherein the language-based concepts are associated to corresponding spatial-temporal concepts by:
including the vocabulary terms in a story; and
displaying the story in combination with corresponding portions of the spatial-temporal concepts embodied in the software.
6. The computerized method of claim 3 , wherein the conceptual proficiency level in the subject is greater than the language-based proficiency level in the subject.
7. The computerized method of claim 3 , wherein the language-based concepts are associated to corresponding spatial-temporal concepts by electronic flashcards displayed to the student.
8. The computerized method of claim 7 , wherein the spatial-temporal concepts on the flashcards are understood by the student.
9. The computerized method of claim 8 , wherein the language-based concepts on the flashcards are not fully understood by the student.
10. The computerized method of claim 9 , wherein the subject is math.
11. The computerized method of claim 3 , wherein the spatial-temporal concepts are embodied at least partially in one or more animated character.
12. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions that cause a computer to perform a method for improving a student's score on a language-base test by relating spatial-temporal concepts to language-based concepts, the method comprising:
determining a language-based proficiency level in a subject by administering a language-based test having a list of language terms to the student;
interactively displaying spatial-temporal features corresponding to at least a portion of the language terms which are controllable by student input so as to teach the subject to the student;
determining a conceptual proficiency level based on the student's performance in the interactive display;
comparing the conceptual proficiency level in the subject with the language-based proficiency level in the subject;
associating the language-based concepts tested by the language-based test to corresponding spatial-temporal concepts based on the result of the comparing; and
displaying information to the student indicative of the association of the language-based concepts and the corresponding spatial-temporal concepts.
13. The computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the language-based concepts comprise a list of vocabulary terms.
14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the language-based concepts are associated to corresponding spatial-temporal concepts by:
including the vocabulary terms in a story; and
displaying the story in combination with corresponding portions of the spatial-temporal concepts embodied in the software.
15. The computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the conceptual proficiency level in the subject is greater than the language-based proficiency level in the subject.
16. The computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the language-based concepts are associated to corresponding spatial-temporal concepts by electronic flashcards displayed to the student.
17. The computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the spatial-temporal concepts on the flashcards are understood by the student.
18. The computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the language-based concepts on the flashcards are not fully understood by the student.
19. The computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the subject is math.
20. The computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the spatial-temporal concepts are embodied at least partially in one or more animated character.