GB2235081A

GB2235081A - Reading aid

Info

Publication number: GB2235081A
Application number: GB9017734A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin John Kyrle
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-08-17
Filing date: 1990-08-13
Publication date: 1991-02-20
Anticipated expiration: 2010-08-13
Also published as: GB9017734D0; GB8918796D0; GB2235081B

Abstract

An aid for use in teaching a person to read comprises a base member (10) with a linear slot (12) therein and a pair of slide members (15, 16) movable longitudinally of the slot (12) so as to define between them a variable length window (19) through which at least a part of printed or written word can be viewed when the base member (10) is placed thereover. <IMAGE>

Description

EDUCATIONAL TEACHING AID The invention relates to an educational teaching aid for use in teaching a person, such as a child, to read.

When teaching a person to read it is often necessary for the teacher to break down a written or printed word into syllables or letters, or a line of text into individual words and to obscure other matter from view. This may be done by the teacher placing a finger or thumb, or a rule, or other flat device over part of a printed or written word, or line of text to obscure part thereof from view.

However this is not easy and is haphazard. Also the person being taught may be required to do the same. If the teacher or person being taught suffers from a disability which affects the use of the fingers, then this procedure may not be possible.

According to the present invention there is provided an educational teaching aid for use in teaching a person to read, comprising a base member, a linear slot or channel provided in said base member, and a pair of slide members movable relative to each other along the slot or channel and which in use of the aid, define with the slot or channel a variable length window through which at least part of a printed or written word, or line or text can be viewed when the slot or channel is placed over a printed or written word or line of text.

Advantageously the aid includes upstanding members on the slide members to enable the slide members readily to be moved longitudinally of the linear slot or channel.

Preferably the slide members are vacuum formed from sheet plastics material.

Advantageously the base member is formed of laminated sheet material.

Preferably the maximum clear length of the linear slot or channel in the base member corresponds substantially to the maximum separation between adjacent edges of the pair of slide members.

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an educational teaching aid according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a plan view of the teaching aid of Figure 1 in use; and Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of an educational teaching aid according to the invention.

Referring to the drawings and firstly to Figures 1 and 2 an educational teaching aid comprises a base member 10 which comprises two base parts 11 which are spaced apart to form a linear parallel-sided slot 12. The two base parts 11 are secure together by two transverse members 13 which are fixed to the two base parts 11 by screws 14.

Slidable along the slot 12 are two slide members 15 and 16, each of which has a bevelled end 17. Each slide member 15, 16 is provided with an upstanding pin 18 which is used for moving the slide member 15, 16 along the slot 12 and which serves as a stop for preventing the slide members 15, 16 from being moved completely out of the slot 12.

The bevelled ends 17 of the slide members 15 and 16 define, with the sides of the slot 12, a window 19 which can be varied in length and position by moving the slide members 15, 16 relative to each other along the slot 12. The sides of the slot 12 may be provided with longitudinally extending recesses in which longitudinally extending tongues provided on the sides of each slide member 15, 16 engage, or alternatively the sides of the slot 12 may be provided with longitudinally extending tongues which engage in longitudinally extending recesses provided in the sides of the slide members 15, 16.

In use of the teaching aid the slot 12 is placed over a printed or written word, such as the word "reasonable ", as indicated in Figure 1. The slide members 15, 16 can be moved relative to each other along the slot 12 so that only a part of the word can be viewed through the window 19. Thus a person can be taught how to break up a word into syllables and how to pronounce each syllable and then in combinations either forward or backward.

Alternatively the teaching aid can be placed over a line of text and the slide members 15, 16 moved relative to each other along the slot 12 to reveal in the window 19 one or more words or parts of words of the line of text.

The teaching aid may be formed of wood, metal or plastics, or a combination of such materials.

The pins 18 enable the slide members 15, 16 to be easily moved by hand along the slot 12 even if the person operating the aid has a physical hand defect.

It is also possible for the two base parts 11 to be adjustable relative to each other in a transverse direction so as to adjust the width of the slot 12 to suit the height of the letters of the word or line of text. In such a case other slide members 15, 16 having a desired width can be inserted into the slot 12, or alternatively variable width slide members 15, 16 may be used.

The slot 12 to be replaced by a linear channel, the bottom of the channel being transparent. Such transparent bottom may magnify the word or words being viewed.

Referring to Figure 3, a base member 20 is formed by a first laminar member 21 with a relatively short longitudinally extending slot 22 therein, a second laminar member 23 formed as a frame and a third laminar member 24 with a relatively long longitudinally extending slot 25 therein.

Slide members 26 and 27 are formed as vacuum mouldings of sheet plastics material and each have a middle raised portion 28, side flanges 29 and an outer end flange 30. The middle raised portion 28 has a sharply inclined face 31 at the inner end, an inner end low level hump 32, an intermediate high level hump 33 and an outer end low level hump 34. Grooves 35 to allow easy gripping are provided on the hump 33. After the base members 21, 23, 24 have been formed, preferably of cardboard, the slide members 26, 27 have their middle raised portions 28 inserted from below into the slot 25 in the laminar member 24 and the laminar members 21, 23, 24 are then adhered together by adhesive provided on the opposite faces of the laminar member 23.

The educational teaching aid of Figure 2 is used in exactly the same way as the aid of Figures 1 and 2, the bottom edges of the sharply inclined faces 31 at the inner ends of the slide members 26, 27 and the longitudinal edges of the slot 25 in the laminar member 24 providing a rectangular aperture of variable length within which a word or part of a word to be read can be viewed. The proportions of the aid are such that with the slide members 26, 27 moved fully outwardly, the end faces of the slot 22 in the laminar member 21 are just visible inwardly of the lower edges of the sharply inclined faces 31 at the inner ends of the slide members 26 and 27.

Claims

1. An educational teaching aid for use in teaching a person to read, comprising a base member, a linear slot or channel provided in said base member, and a pair of slide members movable relative to each other along the slot or channel and which in use of the aid, define with the slot or channel a variable length window through which at least part of a printed or written word, or line or text can be viewed when the slot or channel is placed over a printed or written word or line of text.

2. An educational teaching aid according to claim 1, including upstanding members on the slide members to enable the slide members readily to be moved longitudinally of the linear slot or channel.

3. An educational teaching aid according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the slide members are vacuum formed from sheet plastics material.

4. An educational teaching aid according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the base member is formed of laminated sheet material.

5. An educational teaching aid according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the maximum clear length of the linear slot or channel in the base member corresponds substantially to the maximum separation between adjacent edges of the pair of slide members.

6. An educational teaching aid substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.