GB2385704A

GB2385704A - Educational apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2385704A
Application number: GB0203999A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kevin Hardinge
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-02-20
Filing date: 2002-02-20
Publication date: 2003-08-27
Also published as: GB0203999D0

Abstract

An educational apparatus comprises a board 10 on which are printed letters 38 to make up a sentence, a plurality of tile components 50 on each of which is printed a letter 52, and securing means 40 located between each of the letters printed on the board whereby one of the tile components 50 can be releasably secured at a position to obscure one of the letters 38 on the board 10 and with its own letter 52 visible. Preferably each tile components 50 is secured within a respective recess 28 by a strip of plastics material 40 lying over recess 28, retaining tiles 50 slid beneath strip 40. Optionally with the letters 38 printed on the board 10 being printed in colours corresponding to the grammatical types of the respective words in which they are contained. The apparatus is useful in the teaching of multiple aspects of literacy, including in particular reading and an understanding of grammar.

Description

EDUCATIONAL APPARATUS The present invention relates to educational apparatus, and in particular to apparatus intended for teaching literacy skills.

Effective teaching of literacy skills is one of the greatest challenges faced by teachers. The complexity of the subject, together with its importance, means that effective teaching aids are potentially very valuable.

It is an aim of the invention to provide educational apparatus which will help in teaching of multiple aspects of literacy, including in particular reading, and an understanding of grammar.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided educational apparatus including a board on which is printed letters to make up a sentence, a plurality of tile components, on each of which is printed a letter, and securing means located between each of the letters printed on the board whereby one of the tile components can be releasably secured at a position to obscure one of the letters on the board and with its own letter visible.

In use, the task set for a learner is to place a tile over each of the printed letters to reproduce the sentence printed on the board. This enables a learner to gain skills in recognition and comparison of letters, and also to practice the manual dexterity required to fix and secure the tiles in place.

Advantageously, the printed letters are printed in a colour which corresponds to the grammatical type of word in which it is contained. As an example, letters in adjectives could be coloured blue, those in nouns coloured red, and so forth. The letters printed on the tiles could be in colours corresponding to those on the board, or they could all be the same colour. Using this colour coding system can help a learner to understand the grammatical construction of a sentence.

Preferably, the securing means includes a plurality of recesses on the board, one for each letter printed on it into which the tiles can be received to be secured therein. The recesses preferably have a base surface on which the respective printed letters are formed. It is also preferred that each recess is shaped such that when a tile is placed in it, the tile is positioned such that it obscures the printed letter.

In a preferred embodiment, the base may be provided with one or more strips of plastic material, each strip being positioned to overlie a plurality of the recesses such that the tiles may be retained in position by sliding them under the strip. In a particularly preferred embodiment, there is provided one such strip for each line of letters printed on the board.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a tile for use in an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a general view of the apparatus embodying the invention; and Figure 3 is a cross-section along line A-A of Figure 2.

With reference to the drawings, educational apparatus embodying the invention comprises a base panel 10 connected to a cover panel 12 along a fold line 14.

The cover panel 12 can be folded between a closed condition, in which it overlies the base panel 10, and an open condition where it is adjacent to, but not overlying the base panel 10.

Each of the base panel 10 and the cover panel 12 are laminated structures, there being a unitary sheet of card 16 which may be common to both panels 10,12.

The cover panel 12 is formed as a laminate, with a thin sheet of smooth-surfaced, lightweight card 18, which is suitable to carry printing (typically of a promotional or informational nature) bonded to the unitary sheet of card 16. When the cover panel 12 is in the closed condition, the sheet of lightweight card 18 is in contact with the base panel 10.

On the cover panel 12 there may be provided a pouch in which letter tiles (to be described below) can be stored. The pouch can be formed by application securing to the cover panel 12 a rectangular sheet 20 of transparent plastic material by an adhesive bond 22 formed along portions adjacent three of the four sides of the sheet 20.

A plurality of approximately rectangular slots 28 are formed on the base 10, such that a portion of the unitary sheet of card 16 is visible through them. Each slot has two parallel (e. g. vertical in use) long edges 30 and a perpendicular (e. g. horizontal) short edge 32.

A strip of clear plastic material 40 is adhesively secured to the upstanding long edges 30 of the slots 28.

In this example, there are two strips, one for each line. The strips 40 are spaced from the unitary sheet of card 16, such that a plurality of recesses are formed between each strip 40 and the unitary sheet of card 16, the recesses being bounded by the long edges of the slots 28.

For each slot 28, there is formed a line of printed letters 38 on the unitary piece of card 16, the letters 38 being visible through the slots 28. The letters 38 when read through the slots together may make up one or more sentences. The letters 38 are printed in a colour which indicates the grammatical type of the word that they form. For example, those letters 38 which form nouns are printed in red, those which form adjectives are printed in blue, and so forth. The letters 38 are spaced such that each lies directly between one pair of opposed long edges 30 of the slot 28. There may also be a picture 42 e. g. printed on the base 10, related to the word or sentence.

The apparatus further includes a plurality of tiles 50, on each of which is printed a letter 52. The tiles 50 are formed from card of a thickness similar to that of

the second sheet of card 26. Each tile 50 is elongate, having straight, parallel sides and rounded ends. The tiles 50 are shaped and dimensioned such that each tile 50 can be accommodated as a close fit within a slot 28 between opposing long edges 30 of the slot 28.

As is shown in Figure 3, a tile 50 can be located within the base by sliding it into a slot from above e. g. sliding parallel to the plane of the base 10. In this position, the tile obscures from view one of the letters printed within the slot 28.

In use, a learner is encouraged to secure the tiles 50 in place in the base, one-by-one, with the letter on the tile corresponding to the letter obscured by the tile. This gives the learner practice in comparing and recognising letters. At the same time, the learner is shown, by the colour coding, the grammatical structure of the sentence. As a side benefit, the learner must exercise manual dexterity in order to successfully complete the task, which should help the learner develop manual coordination skills. Once the task is completed, the sentence will be displayed entirely in black letters printed on the tiles 50.

At any time, the cover 12 can be folded across the base 10 to protect and preserve a part-completed exercise.

As an enhancement, where a noun appears in the sentence, a picture of the article referred to by the noun may be printed adjacent to or surrounding it. For example, if the word'tiger'appears in the sentence, the

word may be printed within a picture of a tiger. This further enhances a learner's ability to connect words with the actual real-world objects that they represent.

Claims

Claims 1. Educational apparatus including a board on which is printed letters to make up a sentence, a plurality of tile components, on each of which is printed a letter, and securing means whereby one of the tile components can be releasably secured at a position to obscure one of the letters on the board and with its own letter visible.
2. Educational apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the printed letters on the board is printed in a colour which corresponds to the grammatical type of word in which it is contained.
3. Educational apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein letters printed on the tiles are in colours corresponding to those of the letters printed on the board.
4. Educational apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein letters printed on the tiles are all the same colour.
5. Educational apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the securing means includes a plurality of recesses on the board, one or each letter printed on it, into which the tiles can be received to be secured therein.
6. Educational apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each recess has a base surface on which the respective printed letter is formed.
7. Educational apparatus according to claim 5 or claim

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6, wherein the recess is shaped such that when a tile is placed in it, the tile is positioned such that it obscures the respective printed letter on the board.
8. Educational apparatus according to claim 5,6 or 7, wherein the board is provided with a strip of plastic material which is positioned to overlie the recesses, such that the tiles may be retained in position by sliding them under the strip.
9. Educational apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.