A FOREIGN LANGUAGES SELF-TEACHING KIT

Abstract: A self-teaching language kit which includes a cassette tape player (3), a microphone (6), an amplifier (8) connected to the microphone (6) for amplifying the signal from the microphone (6), and a headset (12) having two earphones (5, 10). Interconnections (4, 9) are provided whereby only one of the earphones (5) is connected to the output of the tape player (8) and the other of the earphones (10) is connected to the output of the amplifier (8).

Description: -1- A FOREIGN LANGUAGES SELF-TEACHING KIT This invention relates generally to education and teaching devices and more particularly to a device for the self-teaching of a language. For purposes of the description, this invention is referred to as a foreign languages self-teaching kit. Very generally, the kit includes a cassette tape player or recorder; an amplifier; a microphone; and a headset with a pair of earphones. Cassette tape players along with headsets for playing precorded tapes are well known. Such have been used for entertainment as well as for instructional purposes. Also, language learning kits are available wherein instruction is provided on a cassette tape and the student listens to the tape while watching a lesson book. Such instruction kits often suggest that the student repeat what is heard on the tape so that the student becomes accustomed to speaking the language aloud. These kits allow a student to learn in a private setting and at a convenient pace. In such a system, however, the headset covers the ears of the student and at least partially blocks ambient sounds, and only the sound from the tape is heard. The spoken voice of the student, on the other hand, is heard by the student primarily through bone conduction. The sound of one's voice in bone conduction is very much different from that which the ear detects through the medium of air. Consequently, the student is not at the best possible advantage in comparing his own speech to that of the instructor's voice from the tape under these conditions. It is an object of this invention therefore to provide a foreign languages self-teaching kit that affords the student greater efficiency in voice practice while learning a foreign language. It is another object of this invention to provide a foreign languages self-teaching kit that allows a student to better hear his own vocal response in language practice so that he can better judge the correctness of his vocal response in comparing his accent and pronunciation to that of the instructor's voice on the prerecorded tape. These and other objects are more completely described in the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a general perspective view of a prior art self-teaching kit; and FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a foreign language self-teaching kit constructed in accordance with this invention. The kit according to this invention assists a person (student) in learning spoken foreign languages by allowing the student to repeat spoken foreign words and texts that have been precorded. The text can be recorded in slower than normal pace. A cassette tape player or recorder plays the tape. The student hears the recorded speech in one of the earphones of the headset. These words and sentences then are repeated by the student into a microphone. The student's own speech is heard only in the other of the earphones of the headset, because the earphones are electrically isolated from each other. Thus, the student can compare his own voice to that which he hears from the tape player, making him conscious of mistakes in his pronunciation and accent and allowing him to immediately correct his speech. Upon repetition, the student strives for better and better pronunciation and accent. Such repetition may be done in accordance with a particular student's need. The student's speech is not recorded. The speech is heard only in one of the earphones so that the student is listening in one ear to his own voice while in the other ear he hears the voice of the instructor from the precorded tape. This provides, in effect, a closed circuit to the student's mind which affords • strong concentration by the student in the learning of the language. This system quickly improves pronunciation and accent as well as enhances the memory and feel of the words. Thus, the student should more easily become fluent in the language being studied. More particularly, and in reference to FIGURE 1, there is shown a prior art kit which includes a cassette tape player or recorder, an amplifier, a headset, and a microphone. The earphones are represented as being in parallel so that the signal from the cassette tape is produce simultaneously in both ears, either in mono or stereo. This difference would depend upon the particular kit used. FIGURE 2, on the other hand, illustrates the various elements of the foreign languages self-teaching kit of this invention and the interconnections of these elements in accordance with this invention. A tape player or recorder 3 holds a cassette. Adjacent the cassette in the same container is an amplifier 8. A headset 12 is provided that has two earphones 5 and 10. The earphone 5 is connected only to the output of the tape player by means of cable 4. Because the unit is wired so that the tape player 3 is connected only to the earphone 5, the sound from the tape being played in the cassette is heard only in the earphone 5. The earphone 5 is not connected to the earphone 10. A microphone 6 is connected by a cable 7 to the amplifier 8. Further, by means of a cable 9, the output of the amplifier 8 is connected to the earphone 10. Thus, the earphone 5 is used only to listen to what is recorded on the tape being played out by the tape player, and the earphone 10 is used only to listen to what the student repeats into the microphone 6. The cassette tape player and the amplifier are connected to a common source of electrical power, and they are mounted together in the same container, which may be plastic. The source of power can be either batteries or 110 volt or 220 volt A.C. , single phase 60 hertz. A volume regulator 11 is provided on the amplifier to allow adjustment of student's voice loudness. Thus, this foreign languages self-teaching kit is provided to assist in learning to speak a foreign language by repeating words and sentences and even whole stories in the foreign language. It can be used in conjunction with any language tapes and handbooks. As mentioned previously, language tapes are now popular, but it is believed that merely listening to the tapes is inadequate for learning to speak a foreign language most efficiently. An improved way to learn to speak the foreign language is not only by listening to the tape, but by speaking the language along with the tape and listening to the spoken voice and comparing with that heard on the tape. This exercises both the mouth and the tongue and coordinates them with the ear to effectively learn the foreign language. Although some new language kits suggest that the student repeat what is heard from the tape, it is believed this is not as effective for learning a language as it may seem, because in that system the student hears his own voice through bone conduction, and this sound is quite different from what the ear detects in sound that comes through the medium of air. Thus, a student is less effective in distinguishing his own sounds heard through bone conduction and cannot be as acute in discerning the correctness of his pronunciation and accent as when he hears his own voice through the medium of air from the microphone as amplified and directed to his ear. On the other hand when his voice is so amplified and directed, the student is in a much better position to compare what he said with the instructor's correct speaking on the tape. The foreign languages self-teaching kit of the invention assists students in repeating words in the natural way of learning a language such as the stude'nt did initially in learning to speak from his parents. It is recognized that language laboratories encourage the students to record their own voices and listen then play back the recordings. After such play back, the next step is again to listen to the voice of the instructor. Such a comparison is made with a time differential and is believed less effective than the system of the present invention which affords prompt comparison. This kit does not permit the student to record speech mistakes, but rather allows the student to repeat the text many times, whereby the repetition aids in the student's remembering and obtaining the feel for the language. The kit of this invention allows the student to use all of the time that is devoted to learning the language for practicing active speaking. This differs from many language classes where students are permitted only a few sentences at best during their time of stay in class. The kit of this invention is, of course, portable and convenient for carrying. The kit can be used individually at home, independently of the formal language laboratory. Furthermore, the kit can be used most anywhere. For example, it can be used on beaches, in parks, and even while one is walking or travelling. This kit allows the language student an opportunity to immediately practice the speaking of the foreign language and to practice as much as the student cares to do. This is done in privacy without a teacher present. Still, the student is able to exercise pronunciation of words, idioms and sentences an unlimited number of times under the correct guidance of the instructor on the tape. This spares the beginning student from the embarrassment of awkward pronunciation, for the student is able to respond himself to the taped instructor, sense the difference in the student's response from that provided by the instructors and then continually work until the response is proper. All of this is done without the embarrassment of an instructor being present and monitoring the process O P γ V/IP While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative construction and steps, we have shown in the drawings and described in detail the preferred embodiment. It is understood that there is no intention to limit the invention by such disclosure, but that the aim is to cover all modifications and alternative contructions and uses falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS; 1 A self-teaching language kit comprising a cassette tape player, a microphone, an amplifier connected to the microphone for amplifying the signal c ^ from the microphone, a headset having two earphones, and means connecting one of said earphones to the tape player output and the other of said earphones to the amplifier output. 2. A kit according to Claim 1 wherein the tape player also includes provision for recording. 3. In a self-teaching language kit that includes a cassette tape player, a microphone, and an amplifier connected to the microphone for amplifying the signal to the microphone, a headset having two earphones, the earphones being electrically isolated from each other and connected to receive separate inputs, one of the inputs being from the cassette tape player and the other of the inputs being from the amplifier. 4. A method of learning a foreign language by a student thereof, including the steps of receiving an instructional taped presentation of the foreign language in only one of the student's ears and in the other of the student's ears of receiving an amplified signal of the student's voice repeating the taped presentation, whereby the student is able to effectively compare pronunciation and accent of the repeated presentation heard in one ear with the instructional presentation heard in the other ear. OMPI

Inventors: SKOCZYLAS WIESLAW JAN, SKOCZYLAS, WIESLAW, JAN
Applicants: SKOCZYLAS WIESLAW JAN, SKOCZYLAS, WIESLAW, JAN
Application year: 1983
Main classification: G09B5
IPC codes: G09B5, G09B19