Modern language labs are known by many names, digital language lab, foreign language lab, English language lab, multimedia language lab, language media center, and multimedia learning center to name but a few. These various name usually refer to the same concept.
A language laboratory is a system that transforms a passive language class into an active speaking-based learning environment. This helps the language teacher to save a substantial amount of time and manage their language classes more efficiently. For students this means that they can spend more time on speaking-based language learning activities and actually using the target language.
Our Language lab provides a diverse experience from the conventional system of teaching and learning English language communication skills and offers advanced features such as authentic recorded materials, spoken by different native speakers, that expose the students to the near – ideal pronunciation of native speakers.
Orthophonic devices are used to augment language competence through course materials such as pronunciation drills, grammar exercises and listening tasks. The English language lab has the facility for 19+1 users programmed with the latest technology in language- learning software -SONAKO and provides course materials from BBC English, Cambridge English and so on. The facilities of the Language Lab were used extensively by General English students for training as part of their first semester course “Communication Skills in English” which had an Oral Test component. Students were trained on developing their listening and speaking skills with special sessions that focused on pronunciation and communication competence.
A blended methodology of language teaching is adopted in the language lab with the teacher explaining the language concepts, guiding the students through the different modules and then the students proceeding to practice them individually at their own computer systems in the lab.
Thus the students learn more comprehensively through the use of the English language lab as it caters to the following objectives in the teaching learning experience:
Facilitated Self Learning: The learning is teacher assisted at the outset with the teacher introducing the course materials and then it proceeds to self guided independent learning where the students can individually focus and practice on language skills that they are less proficient in.
Complimentary Learning: The English language lab allows students to reinforce the subject modules learnt during their classroom lectures and practice the tasks/exercises proactively through interactive activities.
Monitoring and Evaluation: Teachers get to monitor student lab activities and receive instant reports on their performance in tasks/exercises which can be utilized to customize the teaching and learning activities to maximize language competence in the lab and in the classroom.
