Language Fluency System

Abstract

A computerized method and system for teaching foreign language. Users can define flashcards for study words and words in study sentences and select associated images to be shown with the flashcards during review. An improved method and system for identifying and searching for images to show is provided. Improved methods for presenting flashcards for words with multiple definitions and improved database architecture for storing flashcard data for plural users is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for teaching a foreign language using a client computing device having a display and a user input, the method executed by processing components of the client computing device and comprising steps of:
 initiating a flashcard creation process for a first flashcard;   receiving through the user input a selection of a study word in the foreign language;   displaying a first study sentence in the foreign language containing the study word and for which a flashcard is to be generated;   building a search query by (i) receiving through the user input the selection of a first word in the displayed first study sentence, and (ii) adding the first word to the search query;   sending the search query to a remote server over a network;   receiving from the remote server a plurality of URLs identifying corresponding search images accessible on the network and identified based on the sent search query;   displaying the plurality of search images;   receiving through the input the selection of one of the plurality of search images identifying a selected image to associate with the first flashcard for the study word and the first study sentence; and   sending to the remote server a selected picture message specifying the selected image for the first flashcard.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising step of repeating the building search query step for selections of additional words in the displayed first study sentence. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, before the building a search query step, steps of:
 sending to the remote server a request for recommended flashcard pictures for the first word in a context of the first study sentence;   receiving from the remote server a plurality of URLs identifying corresponding recommended images accessible on the network;   displaying the plurality of recommended images and an advanced search option; and   receiving through the input a selection of the advanced search option.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising steps of:
 initiating a flashcard review process;   sending a flashcard review request to the server;   receiving flashcard data from the server, the flashcard data comprising first flashcard data including the first study sentence, the study word, and a URL for the selected picture;   generating a flashcard using the first flashcard data; at least part of the first study sentence being on one of a front and back side of the flashcard image and the user's selected picture for the study word in the first sentence being on one of the front and back side of the flashcard;   displaying the front side of the flashcard; and   displaying the back side of the flashcard in response to the user input indicating the flashcard should be flipped.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein
 the flashcard data further comprises second flashcard data, the second flashcard data including the study word and a second study sentence containing the study word;   the step of generating a flashcard comprising:   generating the front side of the flashcard including the study word;   generating a first back side of the flashcard using first flashcard data;   generating a second back side of the flashcard using second flashcard data; and   the step of displaying the back side of the flashcard comprising displaying the first back of the flashcard and the second back side of the flashcard in an integrated display.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user input comprises a touchscreen input, the step of receiving through the user input the selection of the first word comprising detecting a user tap on the first word in the displayed first study sentence. 
     
     
         7 . A method for teaching a foreign language using a client computing device having a display and a user input, the method executed by processing components of the computing device and comprising steps of:
 accessing flashcard data defining a plurality of flashcards, each defined flashcard having associated front side content comprising a respective study word and rear side content related to the respective study word;   the plurality of flashcards including a set of related flashcards for a first study word, each flashcard in the set having frontside content comprising the first study word, each flashcard in the set having respective rear side content;   displaying a front side of one of the flashcards in the set, displayed content including the first study word;   receiving user input indicating the displayed flashcard should be flipped; and   in response to the user input displaying a rear side comprising combined rear side content from at least two flashcards in the set.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the combined rear side content comprises rear side content from all of the flashcards in the set. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of displaying a rear side comprises displaying combined rear side content as a vertical or horizontal linear arrangement of rear sides for each of the at least two flashcards in the set. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the rear side is displayed in a scrollable format on the display. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein an apparent size of the displayed rear side is larger than an apparent size of the displayed front side. 
     
     
         12 . A method for teaching a language using a client computing device having a display and a user input, the method executed by processing components of the client computing device and comprising steps of:
 initiating a flashcard creation process for a first flashcard;   receiving through the user input a selection of a first word in the language;   displaying a first sentence in the language containing the first word and for which a flashcard is to be generated;   building a search query by (i) receiving through the user input the selection of a second word in the displayed first sentence, and (ii) adding the second word to the search query;   receiving a plurality of URLs identifying corresponding search images identified based on the search query;   displaying the plurality of search images; and   receiving through the input the selection of one of the plurality of search images identifying a selected image to associate with the first flashcard for the first word and the first sentence.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising step of repeating the building search query step for selections of additional words in the displayed first sentence. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising, before the building a search query step, steps of:
 receiving at least one URL identifying a recommended flashcard picture for the second word in a context of the first sentence; and   displaying the recommended flashcard picture and an advanced search option.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising steps of:
 initiating a flashcard review process;   receiving flashcard data comprising first flashcard data including the first sentence, the first word, and a URL for a selected picture;   generating a flashcard using the first flashcard data, at least part of the first sentence being on one of a front and back side of the flashcard image and the selected picture for the first word in the first sentence being on one of the front and back side of the flashcard;   displaying the front side of the flashcard; and   displaying the back side of the flashcard upon receipt of user input indicating the flashcard should be flipped.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein
 the flashcard data further comprises second flashcard data, the second flashcard data including the first word and a second sentence containing the first word;   the step of generating a flashcard comprising:   generating the front side of the flashcard including the first word;   generating a first back side of the flashcard using first flashcard data;   generating a second back side of the flashcard using second flashcard data; and   the step of displaying the back side of the flashcard comprising displaying the first back of the flashcard and the second back side of the flashcard in an integrated display.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the user input comprises a touchscreen input, the step of receiving through the user input the selection of the first word comprising detecting a user tap on the first word in the displayed first study sentence.