Abstract: Educational devices, educational systems, and methods of teaching and learning reading are provided. The devices, systems, and methods can include an indicium reader, such as an optical character recognition device, for reading indicium from objects. Such objects can be three-dimensional blocks and the indicium can be a letter, word, sentence, number, or some other type of readable character(s). The devices, systems, and methods can include a display for displaying the read indicium and an audio producing device for producing audio corresponding to the read indicium. The educational devices can be a self-contained, portable unit with the indicium reader, the display, and the audio producing device supported by a housing of the educational devices.

Abstract: An educational device (11) for visually modeling words or numerals. The device including a plurality of inverted U-shaped rods (15) and a plurality of balls (17), each ball (17) being movable between a non display position and a display position. When the device is used to represent a word, the number of rods (15) having a ball in the display position corresponds to the number of phonemes in the word and the number of balls (17) or a respective rod (15) represents the number of letters in a respective phoneme. When the device visually represents a number, each rod having a ball in the display position represents a unit from which the number is formed, and the number of balls in a respective display position can represent the relative size of a respective unit.

Abstract: A reading device for teaching or learning reading is composed of: (A) a two-layer structure containing a first layer, an opposite second layer, viewing slots formed in corresponding portions of the first and second layers, and a hollow pocket defined between the first and second layers; wherein: the first layer has printed on a front face thereof a letter/image chart, and the second layer has printed on a back face thereof a numerical listing of the names of the objects represented by the images on the letter/image chart; and (B) a flat card having a front face which is blank and a back face which preferably has printed thereon one or more sample words or sentences. The flat card is disposed for insertion into the hollow pocket defined between the first and second layers.

Abstract: A teaching aid is designed to develop intelligence of the preschoolers and is composed of a base and a plurality of sliding members. The base has a pathway portion which is provided with a plurality of intersecting paths. The sliding members are provided thereon with an alphabet, pattern, or symbol and are selectively slid in the paths of the base to locate at a predetermined position of the pathway portion of the base such that the alphabet, pattern, or symbol of the selectively-slid sliding members form a predetermined word or figure.

Abstract: A device and method for demonstrating number theory is disclosed in which the device comprises a frame consisting of the plurality of spaced parallel rods which are secured at their ends to transverse members. The rods carry slidable members which are arranged to define an triangle having the same number members on each side. The rods are spaced apart and the members are sized so that sliding movement of one bead will contact a bead located in the next adjacent rod and cause it to also slide. A member representing an ordinal number is selected and is moved along the rod to contact members adjacent to the selected member in the direction of movement to separate a sub-array of members from said equilateral triangle array. The selection of additional ordinal members contact with adjacent members is repeated so that depending upon the mathematical operation being demonstrated.

Abstract: A learning apparatus for use with a computer comprising a set of tactile flash cards, each individual card having a tactilely perceptible pattern embossed on a surface of the card and two electrically connected contacts at a unique set of discrete spaced positions on the card with a preselected correspondence between the tactilely perceptible pattern on the surface of the card and the selected positions of the contacts, and a tactile flash card reader capable of sensing the positions of the contacts on a card and controlling the computer.

Abstract: An end board for supporting a child's bed comprises a base section and an upper section extending from and spanning the width of the base section. Connected slots are defined by the upper surface of the end board. At least one child's toy is located in, and retained by the slots such that the child's toy can slide within and be positioned at any point along the connected slots. At least one of the slots extends to the peripheral edge of the upper surface and is adapted to allow one or more the child's toys to be loaded into the slots.

Abstract: A word puzzle device in which an unknown word is solved by substituting, for each of the unknown letters, the letters of the alphabet, and combining these letters with the letters known to exist in the unknown word to determine the identity of the word. The word puzzle device includes a plurality of elongated strips each having two sets of equally spaced letters. One set of letters is oriented vertically and another of said sets is oriented horizontally. A housing retains said plurality of strips in parallel and for longitudinal movement and has a first opening for viewing said vertically oriented letters and a second opening for viewing said horizontally oriented letters on each of said plurality of strips. The strips are moved to display different letter combinations through said openings. By combining letters of the alphabet, for any known letter, with letters known to form part of the unknown word, the unknown word can be discovered.

Abstract: A game apparatus 10 for forming initial couplets for use in a game wherein players associate names of individuals with such initial couplets. Apparatus 10 provides for set selection disks 23 in connection with indicator 24 to distinguish sets of individuals from the larger set or pool of all individuals whose names satisfy the criteria of the initial couplets. The initial couplet strips 20 are slideably inserted into channels 21 formed in game board 11. Disks 23 are concentrically mounted with one another and are rotatably mounted on game board 11. Game board 11 further includes a hinged prop 12 and score card holder channel 31. Additionally, slots 17 are provided to hold strips 20 not currently in use, with scalloped edges 17 providing for easy insertion and removal of strips 20 into slots 21 and 17.

Abstract: An educational toy comprises a body having a peripheral vertical wall, a guide plate secured on the body and having a plurality of radial cutouts to be passages, a connecting passage formed between the vertical wall and the guide plate to communicate with the cutouts, and a plurality of slider pieces which may be moved along the radial cutouts and the connecting passage. The slider pieces are put in different colors to enjoy learning simple calculation. The toy is applicable to a picture book with some character and sentences.