Comprehension instruction system and method for vocabulary training

Abstract

A vocabulary training method calculates frequency and utility scores for vocabulary words in a language. The frequency scores relate to how frequency the words appear in the language while the utility scores relate to how broadly the words are used in the language. The method then groups and ranks the words according to their frequency and utility scores. To gauge a user's vocabulary knowledge, the method selects words to test the user based on a combination of the frequency and utility scores, or the utility scores alone.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for vocabulary training, the method comprising:
 determining, by the processor-implemented instruction module, frequency scores for vocabulary words in a language according to how frequently the vocabulary words appear in the language;   determining, by the processor-implemented instruction module, utility scores for the vocabulary words according to how broadly the vocabulary words are used in the language;   categorizing, by the processor-implemented instruction module, the vocabulary words by grouping the vocabulary words into a plurality of groups based on the determined frequency scores and ranking the vocabulary words in each group based on the determined utility scores;   generating, by the processor-implemented instruction module, a vocabulary training exercise to test a student's vocabulary knowledge, wherein the vocabulary training exercise is generated by selecting a plurality of vocabulary words from the plurality of groups based on a combination of the frequency scores and utility scores; and   presenting, by the processor-implemented instruction module, the vocabulary training exercise to the student.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the utility scores of the vocabulary words includes determining the extent in which the vocabulary words are used in different subject areas, wherein the different subject areas include one or more textual categories including one or more categories of science, history, math, current events, politics, fiction, or non-fiction, or media categories including one or more categories of books, letters, poems, newspapers, stories, or lyrics. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the vocabulary training exercise includes determining a pool of vocabulary words based on the student's need with vocabulary words that have a higher frequency score or a higher utility score deemed to be vocabulary words that should be mastered earlier than vocabulary words with one or more of a lower frequency score or a lower utility score. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising, in generating the vocabulary training exercise, if the student already knows a large amount of vocabulary words with a particular frequency score or a particular utility score, the vocabulary training exercise is generated by selecting vocabulary words for the student that have a lower frequency score or a lower utility score. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising, in generating the vocabulary training exercise, if the student knows very few vocabulary words with a particular frequency score or a particular utility score, the vocabulary training exercise is generated by selecting vocabulary words for the student that have a higher frequency score or a higher utility score. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 analyzing, by the processor-implemented instruction module, results from vocabulary training exercise in connection with vocabulary words that the student already knows to make reasoned judgments on what other vocabulary words the student is likely to know based on the frequency scores or the utility scores of the other vocabulary words.   
     
     
         7 . A computer-implemented method for vocabulary training, the method comprising:
 determining, by the processor-implemented instruction module, utility scores for vocabulary words in a language according to how broadly the vocabulary words are used in the language;   categorizing, by the processor-implemented instruction module, the vocabulary words by grouping and ranking the vocabulary words into a plurality of groups based on the determined utility scores;   generating, by the processor-implemented instruction module, a vocabulary training exercise to test a student's vocabulary knowledge, wherein the vocabulary training exercise is generated by selecting a plurality of vocabulary words from the plurality of groups based on the utility scores; and   presenting, by the processor-implemented instruction module, the vocabulary training exercise to the student.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein determining the utility scores of the vocabulary words includes determining the extent in which the vocabulary words are used in different subject areas, wherein the different subject areas include one or more textual categories including one or more categories of science, history, math, current events, politics, fiction, or non-fiction, or media categories including one or more categories of books, letters, poems, newspapers, stories, or lyrics. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein determining the utility scores of the vocabulary words includes assigning pervasiveness values to the vocabulary words. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , wherein the vocabulary training exercise is generated by selecting the plurality of vocabulary words from the plurality of groups based on the pervasiveness values. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein generating the vocabulary training exercise includes determining a pool of vocabulary words based on the student's need with vocabulary words that have a higher utility score deemed to be vocabulary words that should be mastered earlier than vocabulary words with a lower utility score. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , further comprising, in generating the vocabulary training exercise, if the student already knows a large amount of vocabulary words with a particular utility score, the vocabulary training exercise is generated by selecting vocabulary words for the student that have a lower utility score. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , further comprising, in generating the vocabulary training exercise, if the student knows very few vocabulary words with a particular utility score, the vocabulary training exercise is generated by selecting vocabulary words for the student that have a higher utility score. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 analyzing, by the processor-implemented instruction module, results from vocabulary training exercise in connection with vocabulary words that the student already knows to make reasoned judgments on what other vocabulary words the student is likely to know based on the utility scores of the other vocabulary words.   
     
     
         15 . A system for vocabulary training, the system comprising:
 a computing device; and   a server, including a memory having instructions for execution on one or more processors, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the server to:
 determine, by the one or more processors executing one or more processor-implemented instruction modules, frequency scores for vocabulary words in a language according to how frequently the vocabulary words appear in the language; 
 determine, by the one or more processors executing one or more processor-implemented instruction modules, utility scores for the vocabulary words according to how broadly the vocabulary words are used in the language; 
 categorize, by the one or more processors executing one or more processor-implemented instruction modules, the vocabulary words by grouping the vocabulary words into a plurality of groups based on the determined frequency scores and ranking the vocabulary words in each group based on the determined utility scores; 
 generate, by the one or more processors executing one or more processor-implemented instruction modules, a vocabulary training exercise to test a student's vocabulary knowledge, wherein the vocabulary training exercise is generated by selecting a plurality of vocabulary words from the plurality of groups based on a combination of the frequency scores and utility scores; and 
 present, by the one or more processors executing the one or more processor-implemented instruction modules, the vocabulary training exercise to the student by displaying the vocabulary training exercise on the computing device. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions of the server, when executed by the one or more processors to determine the utility scores of the vocabulary words further include instructions to determine the extent in which the vocabulary words are used in different subject areas, wherein the different subject areas include one or more textual categories including one or more categories of science, history, math, current events, politics, fiction, or non-fiction, or media categories including one or more categories of books, letters, poems, newspapers, stories, or lyrics. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions of the server, when executed by the one or more processors to generate the vocabulary training exercise further include instructions to determine a pool of vocabulary words based on the student's need with vocabulary words that have a higher frequency score or a higher utility score deemed to be vocabulary words that should be mastered earlier than vocabulary words with one or more of a lower frequency score or a lower utility score.