Technique for mentoring pre-readers and early readers

An article of manufacture for use in a computer system comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable code means for causing:

• displaying a text on a video screen;
• generating an audio narration of said text from stored audio data;
• and
• simultaneously highlighting words in said displayed text during said audio narration generating operation, wherein said highlighting includes:
• distinctly displaying a current word to visually indicate that it is being narrated,
• displaying a group of words narrated prior to said current word in a manner distinct from the current word, and
• displaying a group of words yet to be narrated after said current word in a manner distinct from the current word and the words narrated prior to the current word.

A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, comprising:

• a first code segment for displaying a text on a video screen;
• a second code segment for generating an audio narration of said text from stored audio data;
• and
• a third code segment for simultaneously highlighting words in said displayed text during said audio narration generating operation, wherein said highlighting includes:
• distinctly displaying a current word to visually indicate that it is being narrated,
• displaying a group of words, narrated prior to said current word, in a manner distinct from the current word, and
• displaying a group of words, yet to be narrated after said current word, in a manner distinct from the current word and the words narrated prior to the current word.

Apparatus for improving reading proficiency, comprising:

• means for displaying a text on a video screen;
• means for generating sounds related to said text from stored audio data;
• and
• means for simultaneously highlighting words in said displayed text during said sound generating operation, wherein said highlighting includes:
• distinctly displaying a current word to visually indicate that sound related thereto is being narrated,
• displaying a group of words, sounded prior to said current word, in a manner distinct from the current word, and
• displaying a group of words, yet to be sounded after said current word, in a manner distinct from the current word and the words sounded prior to the current word.

A computer-implemented method for improving reading proficiency, comprising:

• displaying a text on a video screen;
• providing access to stored audio data representing narration of definitions for words in said text, wherein more than one definition is stored for any word used within said text in more than one context;
• associating words in said text with said definitions, respectively, such that a word with more than one definition is associated with a corresponding contextual definition thereof;
• and
• in response to user selection of a particular word from said text,
• retrieving the stored audio data representing the definition associated therewith, and
• generating an audio narration from the retrieved audio data.

An article of manufacture for use in a computer system comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable code means for causing:

• displaying a text on a video screen;
• providing access to stored audio data representing narration of definitions for words in said text, wherein more than one definition is stored for any word used within said text in more than one context;
• associating words in said text with said definitions, respectively, such that a word with more than one definition is associated with a corresponding contextual definition thereof;
• and
• in response to user selection of a particular word from said text,
• retrieving the stored audio data representing the definition associated therewith, and
• generating an audio narration from the retrieved audio data.

A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, comprising:

• a first code segment for displaying a text on a video screen;
• a second code segment for providing access to stored audio data representing narration of definitions for words in said text, wherein more than one definition is stored for any word used within said text in more than one context;
• and a third code segment for associating words in said text with said definitions, respectively, such that a word with more than one definition is associated with a corresponding contextual definition thereof;
• and
• a fourth code segment for, in response to user selection of a particular word from said text,
• retrieving the stored audio data representing the definition associated therewith, and
• generating an audio narration from the retrieved audio data.

Apparatus for improving reading proficiency, comprising:

• means for displaying a text on a video screen;
• means for providing access to stored audio data representing narration of definitions for words in said text, wherein more than one definition is stored for any word used within said text in more than one context;
• means for associating words in said text with said definitions, respectively, such that a word with more than one definition is associated with a corresponding contextual definition thereof;
• and
• means for, in response to user selection of a particular word from said text,
• retrieving the stored audio data representing the definition associated therewith, and
• generating an audio narration from the retrieved audio data.