# US 2016/0364992 A1 · Teaching aid using predicted patterns in spelling errors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0364992 A1 - Document ID: US20160364992A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/739,079 - Filed: 2015-06-15 - Published: 2016-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-15 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Lakshminarayanan Krishnamurthy; Niyati Parameswaran; Edward E. Seabolt; Paul T. Wright - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160364992A1 ## CPC - G09B 19/00: Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass (teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26) - G09B 5/06: with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied - G09B: EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS (devices for psychotechnics or for testing reaction times A61B5/16; games, sports, amusements A63; projectors, projector screens G03B) ## Abstract Teaching aid for improving the spelling competency of a student. The framework provides differentiated instruction and tailors interventions specific to the needs of the student by taking into account relative performance of peers and the root cause of an identified spelling error. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: assigning a first set of root causes to a first error type of a set of error types; monitoring a spelling event of a user for a misspelled word based, at least in part, on a set of target words; determining that the misspelled word is a misspelling of a target word of a set of target words according to the first error type; generating a set of training words based, at least in part, on a characteristic of the target word; and selecting from the set of training words, a set of focus words based, at least in part, on the first set of root causes; wherein: at least the determining, generating, and selecting steps are performed by computer software running on computer hardware. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating a set of training words is further based on a characteristic of the user. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the spelling event is a spelling by the user of a single word while using a word processor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the monitoring step is performed by the word processor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: deriving the set of error types from a comparison of a correct letter placement with an incorrect letter placement of the misspelled word. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the first error type is where the comparison of the correct letter placement with the incorrect letter placement of the misspelled word is one of an insertion, a swap, or a combination of the two. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: collecting the set of target words from documents found on the internet. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: creating a spelling challenge activity that incorporates at least some of the focus words from the set of focus words. ### Claim 9 A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having stored thereon: first program instructions programmed to assign a first set of root causes to a first error type of a set of error types; second program instructions programmed to monitor a spelling event of a user for a misspelled word based, at least in part, on a set of target words; third program instructions programmed to determine that the misspelled word is a misspelling of a target word of a set of target words according to the first error type; fourth program instructions programmed to generate a set of training words based, at least in part, on a characteristic of the target word; and fifth program instructions programmed to select from the set of training words, a set of focus words based, at least in part, on the first set of root causes. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The computer program product of claim 9, wherein generating a set of training words is further based on a characteristic of the user. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the spelling event is a spelling by the user of a single word while using a word processor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising: sixth program instructions programmed to derive the set of error types from a comparison of a correct letter placement with an incorrect letter placement of the misspelled word. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising: sixth program instructions programmed to create a spelling challenge activity that incorporates at least some of the focus words from the set of focus words. ### Claim 14 A computer system comprising: a processor(s) set; and a computer readable storage medium; wherein: the processor set is structured, located, connected, and/or programmed to run program instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium; and the program instructions include: first program instructions programmed to assign a first set of root causes to a first error type of a set of error types; second program instructions programmed to monitor a spelling event of a user for a misspelled word based, at least in part, on a set of target words; third program instructions programmed to determine that the misspelled word is a misspelling of a target word of a set of target words according to the first error type; fourth program instructions programmed to generate a set of training words based, at least in part, on a characteristic of the target word; and fifth program instructions programmed to select from the set of training words, a set of focus words based, at least in part, on the first set of root causes. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The computer system of claim 14, wherein generating a set of training words is further based on a characteristic of the user. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The computer system of claim 14, wherein the spelling event is a spelling by the user of a single word while using a word processor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The computer system of claim 14, further comprising: sixth program instructions programmed to derive the set of error types from a comparison of a correct letter placement with an incorrect letter placement of the misspelled word. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The computer system of claim 14, further comprising: sixth program instructions programmed to create a spelling challenge activity that incorporates at least some of the focus words from the set of focus words.