Language Lab

Language Lab

 

 

The language laboratory is an audio or audio-visual installation used as an aid in modern language teaching. They can be found, amongst other places, in schools, universities, and academies. Perhaps the first lab was at the University of Grenoble in 1908. In the 1950s up until the 1990s, they were tape-based systems using reel to reel or (latterly) cassette. Current installations are generally multimedia PCs. The original language labs are now very outdated. They allowed a teacher to listen to and manage student audio via a hard-wired analogue tape deck based systems with 'sound booths' in fixed locations.

History of language lab

This paper discusses the history of language laboratories. It was Edison's invention of the tin foil phonograph in 1877 that made the first language laboratories possible. It was used for a foreign language class for the first time in 1891. At first, records were mainly used to preserve rare languages, but in the late 1800s and early 1900s, correspondence courses were developed using records. Students listened to records, recorded their own voices speaking the languages, and sent their recordings back to the company for evaluation. The procedures used by these early correspondence schools established methods that were later used in language laboratories. Between 1900 and 1950, equipment became more sophisticated, with the invention and development of tape recorders and television, and schools began establishing language laboratories. Language laboratories were given impetus by funds provided when the National Defense Education Act was passed in 1958. Various language laboratory programs and studies done on their effectiveness are described. Contains 23 references.

 

Advantages

There are different features of language lab, which make the students to have interactive session. It provides equal opportunity to all the students to hear the instructor irrespective of place where they are seated. There will be less miscommunication because of direct nature of the sound transmission. It also provides the privacy that encourages the shy students to speak without any hesitation. In addition instructor can speak to individual or group of students in privacy without interrupting rest of class. Language labs motivate students to talk freely and lose the shyness when talking in front of their friends. Attention on subject is increased resulting in better retention of the concepts. Furthermore, it develops the listening and communication skills, since they hear correct pronunciation through their headphones. Learner will show more enthusiasm and excitement in learning lesson because of learning lab system. Teacher can look after each student, which is not possible in case of the regular classroom. In a lab instructor can communicate with many students by pressing a mouse key in order to talk with students. Efficient use of time and learning efficiency is much more than usual classroom learning. This set up fosters more interactive session between students and teacher. The language lab brings variety in teaching learning process instead of boring verbal centered teaching. The student’s progress can also be monitored regularly so that teacher can provide feedback based on individual pace and ability. Finally, the students can learn the lesson at their own pace thus allowing the classroom as student-centered approach.

Disadvantages

It is very expensive to set up the language lab in country like India. There is no lab syllabus and usually language classes are conducted as theory. Moreover, the lab can engage maximum of 60 students hence space is also difficult for school. These days student does not have enough patience to listen to pronunciation and practice them so the recording of pronunciation is useless. As the teacher listens to students randomly the response can be unorganized and ineffective as there are many students to attend to. The teacher should be well trained in executing the language lab effectively. Given the nature of teaching, a language teacher may need an assistant in taking care of the technological part while teacher attends to the instructional components. As technology changes rapidly, there should be a provision for upgrade in the medium of instructions, which can be burden for school in terms of finances. The ministry of education should consider allocating funds to set up as well as maintenance of language lab. If all these basic problems can be solved only then we can think of implementing language lab in our curriculum.