Patent Publication Number: US-2012034582-A1

Title: Reading teaching method

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to education, and more particularly to a method of teaching people to read. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Some people have learning disabilities which interfere with normal learning. Ordinary teaching methods may not succeed with these people, or alternatively, may be less effective than desired. 
     An example of a condition which interferes with learning to read is dyslexia. Because many teaching methods are based on teaching combinations of letters as an elementary step, any condition which modifies the perception of letter combinations may defeat effectiveness of the lesson. Reading is an extremely fundamental skill in achieving information transfer in the modern world. Society can ill afford to leave members behind due to inadequate reading skills. Therefore, there exists a need to improve teaching methods which in particular are ineffective with students who have reading disabilities. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a method of teaching people to read. The method is remarkably effective with students who have certain learning disabilities. The fundamental elements of this method cause effective engagement of the student, without which students having disabilities could be inadequately motivated to learn. The fundamental elements include a one-on-one relationship between student and teacher; close personal proximity of student and teacher; a return to the most fundamental elements of lessons at each learning session; a protocol which promotes reading at a rapid pace; and immediate feedback upon completion of a lesson. 
     There is an important psychological cumulative effect which results from the combination of the above recited fundamental elements which the inventors believe underlies effectiveness of the method. It is felt that there is criticality in engaging the student with an intense relationship with the teacher, to assure full intellectual effort by the student, that results in learning where other methods may fail. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a learning method that succeeds with reading students who have disabilities. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof by apparatus for the purposes described which is fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a table of words which may be used for example in an initial evaluation. 
         FIG. 2  is an exemplary table of letters for a reading session. 
         FIG. 3  is an exemplary table of reading elements which is more complex than that of  FIG. 2 , for a reading session. 
         FIG. 4  is an exemplary graph illustrating student performance. 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram of steps of performing the novel method. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As with most teaching methods, the method of the present invention may start with an evaluation of a student&#39;s ability to read. The evaluation will establish the basic skills which must be imparted to the student. After the evaluation, lists of letters, letter combinations, and words of appropriate complexity and nature may be selected for lessons.  FIG. 1  shows an exemplary list of words which the student may be asked to read as part of an evaluation. 
     At the heart of the method is a series of reading sessions which feature decoding exercises. Notably, the student is asked to read from lists or compilations of reading subject matter. These compilations are ordered according to least complexity first, such as individual letters. An example is seen in  FIG. 2 . The lessons may progressive to reading elements of increased complexity. An example is seen in  FIG. 3 . Sessions are of generally short duration, twenty minutes for example. Of this, ten to fifteen minutes are devoted to intensive training and several minutes may be used for casual conversation. Because the novel method relies on a close working relationship between student and teacher, time spent on conversation will contribute to and not impair the lesson. The teacher is responsible for generating a sensible series of prompts to establish a pace at which the student reads. This series of prompts may be based on tapping a pen or pencil on a desk, or in any other suitable way. 
     Should the student make an error, the teacher halts the prompts, interruption of which cues the student that a correction should be made. 
     At the conclusion of each session, the student is then given immediate feedback as to progress. 
     Preferably, this feedback is in graphic form, such as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . In  FIG. 4 , the number of reading elements correctly read is represented on a graph. The vertical scale shows the number of reading elements correctly read. The horizontal scale shows the reading sessions, such as by date. In a suitable amount of time, any single session is followed within a time interval of less than one week by a second session of short duration which is similar in format but different in content of read aloud elements. 
     Subsequent sessions may start with the first compilation of the prior session. 
     After an appropriate number of sessions, such as two sessions per week for six to eight weeks, and at the discretion of the teacher, an evaluation of the student is made. If the student has reached a desired proficiency in reading, lessons may be discontinued. 
     If the student has not reached a desired proficiency, further sessions are then undertaken, and may again be two sessions per week for six to eight weeks. The sessions may be discontinued when the student reaches the predetermined level of proficiency. 
     The results may be reported to a remote central station, such as the office of a professional education service which administers the novel method as a commercial service. The results may be sent by internet for example. 
       FIG. 5  shows the novel method  10  for teaching a student to read in discreet steps. An initial step  12  may be that of conducting the initial evaluation. This may be followed by a step  14  of establishing a first compilation containing letters, a step  16  of establishing a second compilation containing letters, wherein each member of the second compilation has at least one more letter than each member of the first compilation, and a step  18  of establishing a third compilation containing letters, wherein each member of the third compilation has at least one more letter than each member of the second compilation. The method  10  may comprise a step  20  of positioning the student in close physical proximity to a teacher. A step  22  may be that of having the student read aloud the first compilation, the second compilation, and the third compilation aloud. A step  24  may be that of establishing a timed series of prompts to promote a pace at which the student reads aloud. A significant aspect of the method  10  is the step  26  of causing the steps  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 , and  24  to be performed in a single continuous session of short duration. This is because there is a significant psychological aspect relating to effectiveness of the novel method  10 . 
     Further significant psychological aspects of effectiveness include the following. Firstly, to avoid undue distractions, the room or other environment in which the lessons are conducted must be quiet and free from visual and other sensible influences. Secondly, the teacher must actively engage the student by maintaining a proximity to the student of no greater distance of physical separation of about one arm&#39;s length. Thirdly, and again to actively engage the student psychologically, the head and eyes of the teacher and student should be at the same level, or alternatively stated, should be in a common horizontal plane. These aspects of the method  10  are seen as additional steps of the method  10 , and will be presented hereinafter. 
     The steps  14 ,  16 , and  18  may use compilations of reading elements such as those illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3 , for example. In any one session, the first compilation, the second compilation, and the third compilation may be read aloud in order of increasing complexity. 
     After each session comes a step  28  of grading the single session as to accuracy immediately upon completion and advising the student immediately of the results of grading. Step  28  may use the graphic output illustrated in  FIG. 4  for example. The same graph may be used in subsequent sessions, so that the student may see a steep increase in graphic results over the several sessions. 
     Where the method  10  is the commercial product of a professional education service, the method  10  may include the step  30  of reporting results to a remote location, and the step  32  of maintaining an ongoing record of results for all of the sessions undertaken by the student. 
     Returning to the issue of psychological engagement of the student by the teacher, the method  10  may be seen as incorporating a step  34  of conducting any and preferably all of the steps which include participation of the student, such as the steps  20 ,  22 ,  24 , and  26 , in an environment which is quiet and free from visual and other sensible influences. 
     The method  10  may include a step  36  of having the teacher actively engage the student by maintaining a proximity to the student limited to a distance of physical separation of about one arm&#39;s length. The method  10  may include a step  38  of maintaining the head and eyes of the teacher and student at the same level. 
     It will be appreciated that the various steps of the method may be ordered other than in the order as described herein. It will also be appreciated that some steps may be performed simultaneously with others. For example, producing a beat for pacing purposes is performed simultaneously with all steps of reading aloud. Therefore, the steps of the invention must be regarded as elements which are present rather than as a prescribed order in which the steps are to be performed. 
     While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited to the disclosed arrangements, but is intended to cover various arrangements which are included within the spirit and scope of the broadest possible interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all modifications and equivalent arrangements which are possible.