Method for improving vocabulary, concept knowledge, and decoding skills using semantic and linguistic sorting 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 vocabulary, concept knowledge, and decoding skills in a person, the method comprising:
providing a stimulus item set comprising a plurality of stimulus items;
displaying a plurality of bins via a computing device, wherein each of the plurality of bins represents a category from a plurality of categories;
presenting a stimulus item from the stimulus item set to the person, wherein the stimulus item belongs to one of the plurality of categories represented by the plurality of bins;
requiring the person to select a bin from the plurality of bins representing a category to which the presented stimulus item belongs;
determining if the person selected the bin correctly; and
repeating said displaying, said presenting, said requiring, and said determining for each stimulus item in the stimulus item set;
wherein said repeating improves vocabulary, concept knowledge, and decoding skills in the person.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the stimulus item set is comprised in a plurality of stimulus item sets, the method further comprising:
performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets.
3 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of categories are comprised in a plurality of category groups, each category group comprising a respective subset of the plurality of categories;
wherein each category from the plurality of categories has a respective category type from a plurality of category types;
wherein a category group comprises a set of categories that are contrasted with each other; and
wherein said displaying, said presenting, said requiring, and said determining for each stimulus item composes performing a trial for each stimulus item.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of category types comprises two or more of:
basic;
super-ordinate;
thematic;
descriptive functions;
descriptive features; and
linguistic.
5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets comprises:
performing said repeating in accordance with each grid of a plurality of grids, wherein each grid specifies at least a subset of categories from a category group and a number of trials to perform with respect to the at least a subset of categories.
6 . The method of claim 5 ,
wherein said presenting a stimulus item from the stimulus item set to the person comprises presenting the stimulus item in a first stage or a second stage;
wherein the first stage comprises presenting the stimulus item pictorially, textually, and aurally; and
wherein the second stage comprises presenting the stimulus item textually and aurally, but not pictorially.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said performing said repeating in accordance with each grid of a plurality of grids comprises:
performing each respective grid in the first stage; and
performing each respective grid in the second stage.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein said performing each respective grid in the second stage comprises:
performing the grid in a second stage if the person passes the grid in the first stage.
9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
for each grid, if the person does not pass the grid, repeating said performing the grid until:
the grid has been performed a specified number of times; or
the person passes the grid.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein each set of the plurality of stimulus item sets comprises an open stimulus item set, the method further comprising:
if the grid has been performed the specified number of times and the person has not passed the grid, keeping the category group of the grid open for later presentation to the person; and performing one or more of:
performing a grid formed from remaining categories in the category group; and
incrementing the category group to a next category group and performing one or more grids in the next category group in the first stage.
11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein passing the grid comprises successfully sorting a specified percentage of the stimulus items presented in the grid.
12 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
performing said displaying, said presenting, said requiring, and said determining for each stimulus item at an introductory level;
wherein initially, said displaying the plurality of bins comprises displaying a single bin representing a first category from a first category group with a basic category type, wherein said presenting comprises displaying a picture of the stimulus item, and wherein the stimulus items are presented in blocks of four;
wherein subsequently, said displaying the plurality of bins comprises displaying two bins respectively representing the first category and a second category, and wherein the stimulus items are presented in blocks of eight; and
wherein said displaying the plurality of bins further comprises displaying four bins respectively representing the first category, the second category, a third category, and a fourth category, and wherein the stimulus items are presented in blocks of thirty-two.
13 . The method of claim 7 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets further comprises:
performing trials for one or more category groups in the first stage; and
after the person has passed all categories in the one or more category groups, repeating the one or more category groups in the second stage, wherein the stimulus items are presented in a different order than in the first stage.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets further comprises:
performing a fluency round, comprising sped up and time-limited trials for the category group.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said performing the fluency round is performed once the person has passed all grids in a category group in the second stage.
16 . The method of claim 6 , wherein a unit comprises a smallest group of trials to be evaluated for advancement.
17 . The method of claim 16 ,
wherein for units with less than a specified number of trials, passing the unit comprises the person correctly sorting all of the stimulus items in the unit; and
wherein for units with at least the specified number of trials, passing the unit comprises the person correctly sorting a specified percentage of the stimulus items in the unit, wherein the specified percentage is less than 100%.
18 . The method of claim 6 , wherein each grid has a respective size, comprising a first size, a second size, or a third size, wherein the first size is smaller than the second size, the second size is smaller than the third size, and wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets further comprises:
after the person passes a grid of the third size with respect to a category group in the first stage, repeating that category group in the second stage with another grid of the third size, wherein the stimulus items presented are the same, but the stimulus items are presented in a different order.
19 . The method of claim 18 ,
wherein once the person passes a grid of the third size for a category group, the person does not perform a grid of the second size for that category group; and
wherein if the person fails a grid of the third size for a category group, the person subsequently performs a grid of the second size for that category group.
20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets further comprises:
if the person fails a category group in the first stage, performing a next category group in the first stage; and
if the person fails a category group in the second stage, subsequently performing that category group in the first stage.
21 . The method of claim 18 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets further comprises:
the first time a new category group is entered, presenting bins in a grid of the second size in the first stage, wherein the stimulus items are presented in blocks randomly sampled from the categories of the bins of the grid of the second size;
if the new category group is passed with respect to the grid of the second size in the first stage, presenting bins in a grid of the third size in the first stage, wherein the stimulus items are presented in blocks randomly sampled from the categories of the bins of the grid of the third size;
if the new category group is passed with respect to the grid of the third size in the first stage, presenting bins in another grid of the third size in the second stage, wherein the stimulus items are presented in blocks randomly sampled from the categories of the bins of the other grid of the third size; and
if the new category group is passed with respect to the other grid of the third size in the first stage, performing a fluency round for the category group in the second stage.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein, once a fluency round has been performed for the category group, the category group is closed.
23 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
performing a training grid comprising a single bin with stimulus items from the first category group of the category type.
24 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets comprises:
performing a grid of a first size with the grid's specified at least a subset of categories from a first category group of a first category type in the first stage.
25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets further comprises:
if the person does not achieve a specified level of success with respect to the grid of the first size with the grid's specified at least a subset of categories from a first category group of a first category type in the first stage, performing a grid of the first size with remaining categories from the first category group of the first category type in the first stage.
26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets further comprises:
if the person does not achieve a specified level of success with respect to the grid of the first size with remaining categories from the first category group of the first category type in the first stage, determining if there is another category group to process in the first category type;
if there is another category group to process in the first category type, opening a next category group and performing respective grids with respect to the other category group;
if there are no more category groups to process in the first category type, opening a next category group to process in a next category type, and performing a grid of the first size in the next category group in the next category type in the first stage.
27 . The method of claim 26 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets further comprises:
if the person achieves the specified level of success with respect to the grid of the first size with remaining categories from the first category group of the first category type in the first stage, performing a grid of a second size with the grid's specified categories from the first category group of the first category type in the first stage.
28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets further comprises:
if the person does not achieve the specified level of success with respect to the grid of the second size with the grid's specified categories from the first category group of the first category type in the first stage,
keeping the first category group of the first category type in the first stage open for later presentation to the person; and
performing a grid of the first size with categories from a next open category group in the first stage.
29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets further comprises:
if the person achieves the specified level of success with respect to the grid of the second size with the grid's specified categories from the first category group of the first category type in the first stage, performing a grid of the second size with the first category group of the first category type in the second stage.
30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets further comprises:
if the person achieves the specified level of success with respect to the grid of the second size with the first category group of the first category type in the second stage, performing a fluency round with respect to a grid of the second size with the first category group of the first category type in the second stage.
31 . The method of claim 30 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets further comprises:
performing a grid of the second size with a second category group of the first category type in the second stage.
32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets further comprises:
if the person does not achieve the specified level of success with respect to the grid of the second size with the second category group of the first category type in the second stage,
keeping the first category group of the first category type in the first stage open for later presentation to the person; and
performing a grid of the first size with categories from the first category group of the second category type in first stage.
33 . The method of claim 32 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets further comprises:
if the person achieves the specified level of success with respect to the grid of the second size with the second category group of the first category type in the second stage, performing a fluency round with respect to the grid of the second size with the second category group of the first category type in the second stage.
34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets further comprises:
performing a grid of the first size with a first category group of the second category type in the first stage.
35 . The method of claim 34 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets further comprises:
if the person does not achieve the specified level of success with respect to the grid of the first size with the first category group of the second category type in the first stage,
keeping the first category group of the second category type in the first stage open for later presentation to the person; and
performing a grid of the first size with remaining categories from the first category group of the second category type in first stage.
36 . The method of claim 35 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets further comprises:
if the person achieves the specified level of success with respect to the grid of the first size with the first category group of the second category type in the first stage, performing a grid of the second size with the first category group of the second category type in the first stage.
37 . The method of claim 36 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets further comprises:
if the person does not achieve the specified level of success with respect to the grid of the first size with the first category group of the second category type in the first stage,
keeping the first category group of the first category type in the first stage open for later presentation to the person; and
performing a grid of the first size with categories from a next open category group in the first stage.
38 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the next open category group comprises a first category group in a third category type.
39 . The method of claim 38 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets further comprises:
if the person achieves the specified level of success with respect to the grid of the first size with the first category group of the second category type in the first stage, performing a grid of the second size with the first category group of the second category type in the first stage.
40 . The method of claim 39 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets further comprises:
if the person achieves the specified level of success with respect to the grid of the second size with the first category group of the second category type in the first stage,
performing a grid of the second size with the first category group of the second category type in the second stage.
41 . The method of claim 40 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets further comprises:
if the person achieves the specified level of success with respect to the grid of the second size with the first category group of the second category type in the first stage, performing a fluency round with respect to a grid of the second size with the first category group of the second category type in the second stage.
42 . The method of claim 41 , wherein each fluency round comprises a timed round.
43 . The method of claim 42 , wherein each fluency round is evaluated for points, and is not evaluated for progression.
44 . The method of claim 43 , further comprising:
repeating said repeating said displaying, said presenting, said requiring, and said determining for each stimulus item in the stimulus item set in an iterative manner to improve vocabulary, concept knowledge, and decoding skills in the person.
45 . The method of claim 44 , wherein said repeating said repeating is performed over a plurality of sessions, and wherein each successive session begins approximately where a previous session ends.
46 . The method of claim 45 , wherein the sessions occur a specified number times each day, for a specified number of days.
47 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said displaying, said presenting, and said requiring are performed via a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed on a display of the computing device.
48 . The method of claim 47 , wherein the GUI displays two or more of:
a student indicator;
a time indicator;
an initiation button, whereby the person invokes presenting stimulus items; and
a score indicator.
49 . The method of claim 48 , wherein the GUI further displays a main character, wherein the main character performs said presenting the first stimulus item aurally and/or graphically.
50 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
indicating if the selected bin is correct.
51 . The method of claim 50 , wherein said indicating if the selected bin is correct comprises one or more of:
presenting a respective sound indicating correctness or incorrectness of the selected bin;
presenting a respective graphical indication of correctness or incorrectness of the selected bin; and
awarding points based on the correctness of the selected bin.
52 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the auditory instructions are presented via headphones attached to the computing device.
53 . A computer accessible memory medium that stores program instructions for enhancing vocabulary, concept knowledge, and decoding skills in a person, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to perform:
providing a stimulus item set comprising a plurality of stimulus items;
displaying plurality of bins via a computing device, wherein each of the plurality of bins represents a category from a plurality of categories;
presenting a stimulus item from the stimulus item set to the person, wherein the stimulus item belongs to one of the plurality of categories represented by the plurality of bins;
requiring the person to select a bin from the plurality of bins representing a category to which the presented stimulus item belongs;
determining if the person selected the bin correctly; and
repeating said displaying, said presenting, said requiring, and said determining for each stimulus item in the stimulus item set;
wherein said repeating improves vocabulary, concept knowledge, and decoding skills in the person.
54 . The memory medium of claim 53 , wherein the stimulus item set is comprised in a plurality of stimulus item sets, wherein the program instructions are further executable to perform:
performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets.
55 . The memory medium of claim 53 ,
wherein the plurality of categories are comprised in a plurality of category groups, each category group comprising a respective subset of the plurality of categories;
wherein each category from the plurality of categories has a respective category type from a plurality of category types;
wherein a category group comprises a set of categories that are contrasted with each other; and
wherein said displaying, said presenting, said requiring, and said determining for each stimulus item composes performing a trial for each stimulus item.
56 . The memory medium of claim 55 , wherein said performing said repeating for each stimulus item set in the plurality of stimulus item sets comprises:
performing said repeating in accordance with each grid of a plurality of grids, wherein each grid specifies at least a subset of categories from a category group and a number of trials to perform with respect to the at least a subset of categories.
57 . The memory medium of claim 56 ,
wherein said presenting a stimulus item from the stimulus item set to the person comprises presenting the stimulus item in a first stage or a second stage;
wherein the first stage comprises presenting the stimulus item pictorially, textually, and aurally; and
wherein the second stage comprises presenting the stimulus item textually and aurally, but not pictorially.
58 . The memory medium of claim 57 , wherein said performing said repeating in accordance with each grid of a plurality of grids comprises:
performing each respective grid in the first stage; and
performing each respective grid in the second stage.
59 . The memory medium of claim 58 , wherein said performing each respective grid in the second stage comprises:
performing the grid in a second stage if the person passes the grid in the first stage.
60 . The memory medium of claim 59 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to perform:
for each grid, if the person does not pass the grid, repeating said performing the grid until:
the grid has been performed a specified number of times; or
the person passes the grid.
61 . The memory medium of claim 60 , wherein each set of the plurality of stimulus item sets comprises an open stimulus item set, wherein the program instructions are further executable to perform:
if the grid has been performed the specified number of times and the person has not passed the grid, keeping the category group of the grid open for later presentation to the person; and performing one or more of:
performing a grid formed from remaining categories in the category group; and
incrementing the category group to a next category group and performing one or more grids in the next category group in the first stage.
62 . The memory medium of claim 58 , wherein passing the grid comprises successfully sorting a specified percentage of the stimulus items presented in the grid.