Role of Language Laboratory in Developing Language Skills

Course Name: Language across Curriculum
Course Code: EDU272
Unit-IV
Topic: Language Laboratory- role of language laboratory in developing language skills
Language Laboratory
Through originated in the USA, Language laboratory rapidly gained ground in UK in the 1960’s.
Now it forms an important technique of teaching in several countries and especially in the
teaching of foreign language. Essentially language laboratory is a self learning device. It enables
the learner to hear the language spoken from recorded tapes and to practice speaking in the same
manner. The language laboratory concentrates on listening (understanding) and speaking, leaving
the other two processes reading and writing to be developed later. While speaking, it aims at the
development of correct pronunciation, intonation and accent. It also develops an ability to use the
words, idioms and phrases in the language in the correct way. Finally it helps the learner to
communicate his ideas effectively in the language. It enables the use of same material by a group
of about 20 learners at a time.
 Role of language laboratory in developing language skills

A language laboratory recognizes the existence and prevalence of wide-spread individual
differences in language aptitude even among the average and superior intelligence. Its approach
is essentially individualistic. A language laboratory allows much time for oral and auditory
experiences. It affords the opportunities for students to hear the language spoken ny a native and
to practice speaking in the language themselves. A language laboratory provides for a well
designed and carefully produced pattern of drills and thus relives the teacher of endless repetition
of patterns.
Language labs are becoming highly valued because they offer students a
structured eLearning environment that is successful and reliable. New technologies are
increasingly more present in classrooms as they facilitate the teacher’s role in creating a more
attractive learning environment for the student and can offer their students more practice hours
and up-to-date exercises than can be found in language books.
# 1 A language lab is practical

Learning a new language just by studying the theory is not enough to guarantee a
successful language learning experience. Language labs provide practice in an entertaining and
interactive way to acquire the 4 main language skills: listening, speaking,
reading, and writing. Students learn more comprehensively through a language lab,
Self-learning: The student progresses in a self-guided but structured and progressive training to
achieve the goals and objective set by the school or educational body.
 Complimentary: Language labs allow students to reinforce material learned in class by putting
them into practice through interactive activities.
 Monitoring and Evaluation: Teachers know the progress of each student and receive reports of
strengths and weaknesses to better adapt the classroom activities.

# 2 Students learn much faster in the language lab
Practice leads to language learning success! Language labs’ interactive courses help students
learn much faster than in a regular classroom setting. The methodology of the classroom
language network uses a progressive model to promote natural learning, where students learn the
different concepts of language in an intuitive way. The language lab boosts the motivation of
students achieving higher levels of language retention and progress.
# 3 The teacher takes on a more important role in the language lab

There is a big fear in the education world that technology will replace the role of
the teacher and the position will become obsolete entirely. The language
lab debunks this myth because it provides supplementary materials that only facilitate the
role of the instructor rather than compete with it. The teacher can then focus on
the important parts of the course rather than waste time explaining everything. The structure of
the language lab courses also facilitate the work teacher puts in when preparing lessons and
allows them to prepare them in less time and with a greater volume of interactive resources. The
course then collects the student information and provides instantaneous reports of the lesson’s
progress against objectives; the teacher uses this information to guide the direction of the class.
# 4 Use more resources and varied activities than in a traditional classroom

Language labs allow students to practice the language with a much
wider variety of activities and exercises based on the computer. Learning occurs in
a structured way, in a real context and visually attractive way that immerses the student in the
language learning environment and promotes language use. The students can watch videos,
practice their pronunciation through a speech recognizer, learn new vocabulary, and much
more.
# 5 Language labs allow for diversity in the classroom

Language laboratories provide teacher attention to students, especially in the case of schools
with different levels because as interactive courses, language labs are tailored to the individual
needs of students. On the other hand, thanks to monitoring and evaluation in real time, the
teacher knows exactly what course objectives pose major difficulties for the student time and can
reinforce the class accordingly.
# 6 Labs foster communication in the classroom

Language labs also encourage communication student-teacher as well as student-student with
activities and exercises essential to oral communication and the understanding of the language.
The labs include tools for creating groups, host conversations via chat, promote messages on
the board, access to a community of students who are also studying the same language, etc.
# 7 Language labs are an intuitive tool for both the student and teacher
This method of learning does not require professional technical skills for use in the classroom,
the teacher only needs basic computer skills and students will welcome the added technology
they are already so adept with.
# 8 language labs optimize computing resources

Both universities and colleges have classrooms with computers there for students to complete
school works or study other subjects. There are also a number of faculty computer labs or office
computers for administration also available. Language labs essentially recycle resources
an educational institute already has and adapts it to the language course.
In short, language labs are a very comprehensive and cost-effective tool for educational
institutions to monetize their language training and also offer students effective language
learning via the latest technology and educational content. They are the perfect solution for
designing a structured academic curriculum in accordance with the objectives of an
educational center with an international vocation audience that seeks the highest quality in
teaching.
Conclusion
The language laboratory is a very helpful tool for practicing and assessing one’s speech in any
language. It provides a facility which allows the student to listen to model pronunciation, repeat
and record the same, listen to their performance and compare with the model, and do self-
assessment. Since the language laboratory gives every learner of any language freedom to learn
at their own pace, it is flexible and does not necessarily require a teacher all the time. At the
same time, it is possible for teachers to provide assistance individually and collectively. The
language laboratory allows every participant his or her privacy to speak and listen.

Role of Language Laboratory in Developing Language Skills

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Role of Language Laboratory in Developing Language Skills

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Course Name: Language across Curriculum

Course Code: EDU272

 Role of language laboratory in developing language skills

# 1 A language lab is practical

# 3 The teacher takes on a more important role in the language lab

# 4 Use more resources and varied activities than in a traditional classroom

# 5 Language labs allow for diversity in the classroom

# 6 Labs foster communication in the classroom

# 8 language labs optimize computing resources

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