Pocket Learner - Aids 'slow learners' to build vocabulary
Recently, in London, UK, there was an exhibition and awards ceremony to celebrate women inventors and innovators.
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The inventors came from all over the world including Ghana.
I would like to share with you one of the inventions known as Pocket Learner that was exhibited there.
A mother’s love knows no bounds so when Andrea’s daughter who has autism and Down’s syndrome faced speaking and learning difficulties, she knew she had to do something about it.
Andrea also saw the frustrations of other parents in similar situations and children struggling within the educational system to acquire knowledge to be independent.
Slow learners
According to her, she believed that many children who are labelled as “slow learners” could be better helped to develop their potential.
Andrea, who lives in the UK, therefore, set out exploring, experimenting and testing her concepts on what to do to assist children such as her daughter and other kids.
Eventually, she came up with an educational material that engages and encourages learning in children with conditions such as Autism, Down’s syndrome and a range of other learning difficulties.
It is also a useful tool for those with delayed learning and challenges in reading and writing.
The pocket learner uses cards and pictures which are manipulated to develop knowledge and build confidence. The system comprises a range of products including the main workbook, card games, nursery resources, numerical development resources among others.
The pocket learner works in stages. For instance in Stage One - the child is taught vocabulary using pictures while in Stage Two the child is introduced to the written names of the items.
Lessons
So the child first learns the name of the item and then learns to read the written word and the other stages follow.
Andrea said the system could be used as an educational tool or as a game for children, adding that a game version was being developed.
She further said a computer app would be available shortly for the benefit of children who have a tendency to learn through that medium.
The pocket learner is a great complementary tool, fitting into nursery and primary school settings beautifully. It is easy to use and has been found to be effective in most cases.
Awards
The pocket learner received special recognition award for Ingenious and Innovative Achievements at the International European Women Inventors & Innovators Network (EU-WIIN) Awards 2015. It also won a Silver Medal at the British Invention Show in 2014 and was given special recognition at the British Female Inventors and Innovators Network International Award the same year.
Sing-along cutlery
A Ghanaian, Hannah Mensah, has also invented a cutlery which plays music, nursery rhymes, alphabets and numbers at the touch of a button.
According to Mr Mensah, the cutlery helps a child to enjoy his or her meal time by having fun and learning at the same time.
In future she said the music, rhymes and alphabets which are in English will be translated into other languages such as French and Spanish. There are also plans to include Ananse stories for children.