Method for improving listening comprehension and working memory skills on a computing device
Methodologies for improving a student's phonemic awareness, decoding, spelling, oral and written comprehension are described herein. The method is embodied in a suite of twelve exercises operable on a computing device. The exercises are geared towards training of 1st and 2nd grade students but are not limited to that. The methods present an entertaining screen environment, with target stimulus, and foil or distracter stimulus presented visually, textually, and aurally. The student is required to identify the target stimulus from the distracter stimulus within the context of each exercise. Progress from easier trials to more difficult trials is made as the student successfully completes particular difficulty levels.
1 . A computer-implemented method for improving listening comprehension and working memory skills in a person, the method comprising:
providing a stimulus passage set comprising a plurality of stimulus passages, wherein each stimulus passage comprises one or more blocks;
presenting a block from a stimulus passage from the stimulus passage set to the person via a computing device;
asking the person a question regarding the block;
presenting a plurality of answers to the person via the computing device, wherein one of the answers is a correct answer to the question;
requiring the person to select an answer from the plurality of answers to answer the question;
determining if the person selected the correct answer; and
repeating said presenting the block, said asking, said presenting the plurality of answers, said requiring, and said determining for each block of each stimulus passage in the stimulus passage set;
wherein said repeating improves listening comprehension and working memory skills in the person.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
performing said asking, said presenting the plurality of answers, said requiring, and said determining for one or more additional questions regarding the block.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said presenting the block comprises:
aurally presenting the block; and/or
textually presenting the block.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein said aurally presenting the block and said textually presenting the block comprise:
highlighting the block one line at a time in synchrony with aurally presenting the block one line at a time.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said asking the question comprises:
aurally asking the question; and/or
textually asking the question.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said presenting the plurality of answers comprises:
presenting a picture illustrating each answer.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said presenting the block, said asking, said presenting the plurality of answers, said requiring, and said determining composes performing a trial for a block;
wherein a stimulus passage comprises a specified sequence of blocks;
wherein a unit comprises a specified set of trials directed to blocks of one or more stimulus passages;
where a level comprises a specified set of units; and
wherein said repeating said presenting the block, said asking, said presenting the plurality of answers, said requiring, and said determining for each block of each stimulus passage in the stimulus passage set comprises:
performing trials in each unit of a plurality of units for each level of a plurality of levels in a specified order, wherein successive levels increase in difficulty.
8 . The method of claim 7 ,
wherein an open unit comprises a unit that has not been passed;
wherein an open level comprises a level that has not been completed; and
wherein all units are initially open units, wherein all levels are initially open levels, and wherein said performing trials in each unit of a plurality of units for each level of a plurality of levels comprises:
performing trials in each open unit of the plurality of open units for each open level of the plurality of open levels.
9 . The method of claim 8 ,
wherein a unit is completed when all trials in that unit have been performed;
wherein passing a unit comprises successfully performing a specified percentage of trials in the unit; and
wherein a level is completed when all trials in that level have been performed.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein said performing trials in each open unit of the plurality of open units for each open level of the plurality of open levels comprises:
setting a current level to a first level of the plurality of levels;
setting a current unit to a first unit of the plurality of units;
setting a current stimulus passage to a first stimulus passage of the plurality of stimulus passages;
setting a current block to a first block of the current stimulus passage; and
performing trials for the current block of the current stimulus passage in the current unit at the current level.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said performing trials in each open unit of the plurality of open units for each open level of the plurality of open levels comprises:
if the person fails a block, repeating the block until the person passes the block, or the person fails the block a specified number of times.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein, during said repeating the block, said presenting a plurality of answers to the person via the computing device comprises:
graying out previously selected incorrect answers, wherein the grayed out answers are not selectable by the person.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein said performing trials in each open unit of the plurality of open units for each open level of the plurality of open levels further comprises:
if there are more blocks in the current stimulus passage,
incrementing the current block to a next block in the current stimulus passage; and
performing trials in the current block.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein said performing trials in each open unit of the plurality of open units for each open level of the plurality of open levels further comprises:
if there are no more blocks in the stimulus passage, and there are more stimulus passages in the unit,
incrementing the current stimulus passage to a next stimulus passage in the current unit;
setting the current block to a first block in the current stimulus passage; and
performing trials in the current block.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said performing trials in each open unit of the plurality of open units for each open level of the plurality of open levels further comprises:
if there are no more blocks in the current unit, determining if the person passes the current unit.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein said performing trials in each open unit of the plurality of open units for each open level of the plurality of open levels further comprises:
if the person fails the current unit,
repeating the current unit until the person passes the current unit, or the person fails the current unit a specified number of times;
keeping the current unit open for later presentation to the person.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein said keeping the current unit open for later presentation to the person comprises:
if the person passes the current unit after more than one attempt,
keeping the current unit open for later presentation to the person after all units have been completed;
otherwise,
keeping the current unit open for later presentation to the person after completion of the current level.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said performing trials in each open unit of the plurality of open units for each open level of the plurality of open levels further comprises:
if the person passes the current unit, closing the current unit.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein said performing trials in each open unit of the plurality of open units for each open level of the plurality of open levels further comprises:
if there are more open units in the current level,
incrementing the current unit to a next open unit in the current level;
setting the current block to a first block in the current unit; and
performing trials in the current block.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein said performing trials in each open unit of the plurality of open units for each open level of the plurality of open levels further comprises:
if there are no more open units in the current level,
incrementing the current level to a next open level;
setting the current unit to a next open unit in the current level;
setting the current block to a first block in the current unit; and
performing trials in the current block.
21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein said performing trials in each open unit of the plurality of open units for each open level of the plurality of open levels comprises:
if all levels have been completed, and there are further open units, for each unit in the further open units:
setting the current unit to a next open unit of the further open units; and
performing trials for each block of each stimulus passage in the current unit;
if the person passes the current unit, closing the current unit;
else, keeping the current unit open for later presentation to the person.
22 . The method of claim 8 , wherein said performing trials in each open unit of the plurality of open units for each open level of the plurality of open levels is performed over a plurality of sessions, and wherein each successive session begins approximately where a previous session ends.
23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the sessions occur a specified number times each day, for a specified number of days.
24 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
performing an initial trial, comprising:
demonstrating said presenting the block, said asking, said presenting the plurality of answers, said requiring, and said determining to the person.
25 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said presenting the block, said asking, said presenting the plurality of answers, said requiring, and said determining are performed via a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed on a display of the computing device.
26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the GUI displays two or more of:
a student indicator;
a time indicator;
an initiation button, whereby the person invokes presenting a block in a stimulus passage;
a score indicator; and
a passage length indicator, graphically indicating the position of the current block within the current stimulus passage.
27 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the GUI further displays a main character, wherein the main character performs said presenting the block of the stimulus passage.
28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the main character is animated.
29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the main character performs said presenting the block of the stimulus passage aurally and/or textually.
30 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the GUI further displays one or more secondary characters, wherein the one or more secondary characters perform said presenting the plurality of answers.
31 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the one or more secondary characters are animated.
32 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the one or more secondary characters perform said presenting the plurality of answers graphically.
33 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to said determining, playing a sound indicating the correctness or incorrectness of the selection.
34 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to said determining, graphically indicating the correctness or incorrectness of the selection.
35 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
awarding points based on the correctness of the selected answer.
36 . The method of claim 35 , wherein said awarding points comprises:
incrementing a point total for the person one point at a time for each of the awarded points;
playing a sound each time the point total is incremented; and
displaying each value of the point total as the point total is incremented.
37 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
if the correct answer is selected, aurally presenting the selected answer.
38 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said requiring the person to select an answer from the plurality of answers comprises requiring the person to perform one or more of:
selecting the answer with a pointing device;
selecting a button indicating the answer in the GUI with the pointing device; and
pressing one or more keys on a keyboard coupled to the computing device to indicate selection of the answer.
39 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said presenting the block of the stimulus passage comprises:
aurally presenting the block of the stimulus passage via headphones attached to the computing device.
40 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
performing said repeating a plurality of times to improve listening comprehension and working memory skills in the person.
41 . A computer accessible memory medium that stores program instructions for improving listening comprehension and working memory skills in a person, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to perform:
providing a stimulus passage set comprising a plurality of stimulus passages, wherein each stimulus passage comprises one or more blocks;
presenting a block from a stimulus passage from the stimulus passage set to the person via a computing device;
asking the person a question regarding the block;
presenting a plurality of answers to the person via the computing device, wherein one of the answers is a correct answer to the question;
requiring the person to select an answer from the plurality of answers to answer the question;
determining if the person selected the correct answer; and
repeating said presenting the block, said asking, said presenting the plurality of answers, said requiring, and said determining for each block of each stimulus passage in the stimulus passage set;
wherein said repeating improves listening comprehension and working memory skills in the person.
42 . The memory medium of claim 41 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to perform:
performing said asking, said presenting the plurality of answers, said requiring, and said determining for one or more additional questions regarding the block.
43 . The memory medium of claim 41 , wherein said presenting the block comprises:
aurally presenting the block; and/or
textually presenting the block; and
wherein said asking the question comprises:
aurally asking the question; and/or
textually asking the question.
44 . The memory medium of claim 41 , wherein said presenting the plurality of answers comprises:
presenting a picture illustrating each answer.
45 . The memory medium of claim 41 , wherein said presenting the block, said asking, said presenting the plurality of answers, said requiring, and said determining composes performing a trial for a block;
wherein a stimulus passage comprises a specified sequence of blocks;
wherein a unit comprises a specified set of trials directed to blocks of one or more stimulus passages;
where a level comprises a specified set of units; and
wherein said repeating said presenting the block, said asking, said presenting the plurality of answers, said requiring, and said determining for each block of each stimulus passage in the stimulus passage set comprises:
performing trials in each unit of a plurality of units for each level of a plurality of levels in a specified order, wherein successive levels increase in difficulty.
46 . The memory medium of claim 45 ,
wherein an open unit comprises a unit that has not been passed;
wherein an open level comprises a level that has not been completed; and
wherein all units are initially open units, wherein all levels are initially open levels, and wherein said performing trials in each unit of a plurality of units for each level of a plurality of levels comprises:
performing trials in each open unit of the plurality of open units for each open level of the plurality of open levels.
47 . The memory medium of claim 46 ,
wherein a unit is completed when all trials in that unit have been performed;
wherein passing a unit comprises successfully performing a specified percentage of trials in the unit; and
wherein a level is completed when all trials in that level have been performed.
48 . The memory medium of claim 47 , wherein said performing trials in each open unit of the plurality of open units for each open level of the plurality of open levels comprises:
setting a current level to a first level of the plurality of levels;
setting a current unit to a first unit of the plurality of units;
setting a current stimulus passage to a first stimulus passage of the plurality of stimulus passages;
setting a current block to a first block of the current stimulus passage; and
performing trials for the current block of the current stimulus passage in the current unit at the current level.
49 . The memory medium of claim 48 , wherein said performing trials in each open unit of the plurality of open units for each open level of the plurality of open levels comprises:
if the person fails a block, repeating the block until:
the person passes the block; or
the person fails the block a specified number of times.
50 . The memory medium of claim 49 , wherein said performing trials in each open unit of the plurality of open units for each open level of the plurality of open levels further comprises:
if there are more blocks in the current stimulus passage,
incrementing the current block to a next block in the current stimulus passage; and
performing trials in the current block; and
if there are no more blocks in the stimulus passage, and there are more stimulus passages in the unit,
incrementing the current stimulus passage to a next stimulus passage in the current unit;
setting the current block to a first block in the current stimulus passage; and
performing trials in the current block.
51 . The memory medium of claim 50 , wherein said performing trials in each open unit of the plurality of open units for each open level of the plurality of open levels further comprises:
if there are no more blocks in the current unit, determining if the person passes the current unit;
if the person fails the current unit,
repeating the current unit until the person passes the current unit, or the person fails the current unit a specified number of times;
keeping the current unit open for later presentation to the person; and
if the person passes the current unit, closing the current unit.
52 . The memory medium of claim 51 , wherein said keeping the current unit open for later presentation to the person comprises:
if the person passes the current unit after more than one attempt,
keeping the current unit open for later presentation to the person after all units have been completed;
otherwise,
keeping the current unit open for later presentation to the person after completion of the current level.
53 . The memory medium of claim 52 , wherein said performing trials in each open unit of the plurality of open units for each open level of the plurality of open levels further comprises:
if there are more open units in the current level,
incrementing the current unit to a next open unit in the current level;
setting the current block to a first block in the current unit; and
performing trials in the current block; and
if there are no more units in the current level, incrementing the current level to a next open level;
setting the current unit to a next open unit in the current level;
setting the current block to a first block in the current unit; and
performing trials in the current block.
54 . The memory medium of claim 53 , wherein said performing trials in each open unit of the plurality of open units for each open level of the plurality of open levels comprises:
if all levels have been completed, and there are further open units, for each unit in the further open units:
setting the current unit to a next open unit of the further open units; and
performing trials for each block of each stimulus passage in the current unit;
if the person passes the current unit, closing the current unit;
else, keeping the current unit open for later presentation to the person.
55 . The memory medium of claim 46 ,
wherein said performing trials in each open unit of the plurality of open units for each open level of the plurality of open levels is performed over a plurality of sessions, and wherein each successive session begins approximately where a previous session ends; and
wherein the sessions occur a specified number times each day, for a specified number of days.
56 . The memory medium of claim 41 , wherein said presenting the block, said asking, said presenting the plurality of answers, said requiring, and said determining are performed via a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed on a display of the computing device.
57 . The memory medium of claim 56 , wherein the GUI further displays a main character, wherein the main character performs said presenting the block of the stimulus passage.
58 . The memory medium of claim 41 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to perform:
in response to said determining, performing one or more of:
playing a sound indicating the correctness or incorrectness of the selection;
graphically indicating the correctness or incorrectness of the selection; and
awarding points based on the correctness of the selected answer.
59 . The memory medium of claim 41 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to perform:
performing said repeating a plurality of times to improve listening comprehension and working memory skills in the person.