Directionality trainer

Claim 2

A directionality trainer for training a student in sequential perceptual-motor scribing responses in association with the graphic symbols of a given language, said trainer comprising: a visual-kinesthetic sequence tracing board having graphic symbols visible to the student written thereon in accordance with the spatial conventions of the given language, the surface of the board having a plurality of stations thereon touchable by the student and associated with respective portions of said written matter and spatially arranged in the same manner and sequence as said written matter, sequencing means for providing successively a plurality of unique output states each corresponding to a respective one of said stations, said sequencing means operating when actuated to advance successively from state to state in the same sequence as the corresponding stations are arranged, comparator means for comparing the state of said sequencing means with the station touched by the student, and in response to such comparison actuating the sequencing means and producing an evaluation signal indicating whether or not the student is touching the stations in conventional sequence, and information feedback means responsive to said evaluation signal for producing a feedback signal apprising the student whether or not he is performing appropriately.

Claim 3

A directionality trainer for training a student in sequential perceptual-motor scribing responses in association with the graphic symbols of a given language, said trainer comprising: a visual-kinesthetiC sequence tracing board having graphic symbols visible to the student written thereon in accordance with the spatial conventions of the given language, the surface of the board having a plurality of discrete segments thereof touchable by the student and associated with respective portions of said written matter and spatially arranged in the same manner and sequence as said written matter, sequencing means for providing successively a plurality of unique output states each corresponding to a respective one of said board segments, said sequencing means operating each time it is actuated to advance successively from state to state in the same sequence as the corresponding segments are arranged, comparator means for comparing the state of said sequencing means with the board segment touched by the student, and in response to such comparison actuating the sequencing means once and producing an evaluation signal indicating whether or not the student is touching the segments in conventional sequence, and information feedback means responsive to said evaluation signal for producing a feedback signal for apprising the student whether or not he is performing appropriately.

Claim 4

A directionality trainer for training a student in sequential perceptual-motor scribing responses in association with the graphic symbols of a given language, said trainer comprising: a visual-kinesthetiC sequence tracing board having graphic symbols visible to the student written thereon in accordance with the spatial conventions of the given language, the surface of the board having a plurality of discrete segments thereof touchable by the student and associated with respective portions of said written matter and spatially arranged in the same manner and sequence as said written matter, sequencing means for providing successively a plurality of unique output states each corresponding to a respective one of said board segments, said sequencing means operating each time it is actuated to advance successively from state to state in the same sequence as the corresponding segments are arranged, comparator means for comparing the state of said sequencing means with the board segment touched by the student, and in response to such comparison actuating the sequencing means once and producing an evaluation signal indicating whether or not the student is touching the segments in conventional sequence, and information feedback means responsive to said evaluation signal for producing a feedback signal for apprising the student whether or not he is performing appropriately.

Claim 5

The directionality trainer of claim 2 wherein said comparator means comprises means for acting upon failure of the touched segment to correspond to the state of said sequencing means to actuate said sequencing means once to advance said sequencing means to its next successive state, and means for delaying determination of error until after said sequencing means thereupon changes state, whereby proper sequence is indicated by the evaluation signal so long as the student moves from the segment corresponding to the state of said sequencing means to the segment corresponding to its next successive state.

Claim 6

The directionality trainer of claim 2 wherein said comparator means includes means for acting upon failure of the student to touch any segment to produce an evaluation signal indicative of error without actuating said counter.

Claim 7

The directionality trainer of claim 2 wherein said segments are disposed in a plurality of discrete lines on said visual-kinesthetic sequence training board and said graphic symbols are printed on said segments.

Claim 8

The directionality trainer of claim 5 wherein said visual-kinesthetic sequence training board includes guide means adjacent each of said lines of segments for guiding the student''s touching of successive segments.

Claim 9

The directionality trainer of claim 2 wherein said information feedback means includes means responsive to said evaluation signal for providing one feedback signal to the student indicating that he is performing appropriately, and means coupled to said sequencing means for identifying the completion of a complete proper sequence and providing another feedback signal to the student upon the completion of a predetermined number of complete proper sequences.

Claim 10

The directionality trainer of claim 7 wherein said information feedback means provides visual signals to the student.

Claim 11

The directionality trainer of claim 2 wherein said discrete segments comprise metallic members insulated from one another, said sequencing means comprises a digital counter, and said comparator means comprises an electronic digital logic circuit.

Claim 12

The directionality trainer of claim 9 including means comprising a manually operable electrically conductive stylus by which the student touches said segments for providing an electronic position dependent signal to said comparator means.

Claim 13

The directionality trainer of claim 10 wherein said sequencing means includes means for providing a state indicating potential to the one of said segments corresponding to the state of said sequencing means while providing a different potential to the rest of said segments; and said comparator means includes means for actuating said sequencing means once in response to the signal developed by said stylus only when said stylus touches a segment to which said different potential is proviDed, and means for delaying said evaluation signal until after said sequencing means thereupon changes state, whereby said evaluation signal indicates proper sequence when said stylus is touching the segment to which said state indicating potential is applied after said sequencing means has changed state.

Claim 14

The directionality trainer of claim 10 wherein the electronic circuitry thereof is electrically powered, and means are provided for supplying power so long as the stylus touches the segment corresponding to the state of the sequencing means and thereafter turning off the power upon the lapse of a predetermined time or the touching of the stylus to any other segment except that corresponding to the next subsequent state of the sequencing means, whichever first occurs.

Claim 15

The directionality trainer of claim 2 including manually operated start means for placing said sequencing means in a starting state wherein the touching of the segment corresponding to the beginning of the written matter produces an evaluation signal indicating that the student is proceeding in conventional sequence.

Claim 16

The directionality trainer of claim 1 wherein said comparator means includes means for producing a reset signal when a segment is touched out of conventional sequence, and said sequencing means includes means responsive to said reset signal for placing said sequencing means in said starting state.

Claim 17

The directionality trainer of claim 13 wherein said starting state is the state corresponding to the segment corresponding to the end of the written matter.

Claim 18

The directionality trainer of claim 13 wherein said sequencing means is in said starting state upon the student''s completion of touching said segments in a proper sequence.