Part One: Overview the language lab

What is the role of language lab? (Dakin, 1973)

I. The nature of language lab

     A. Each learner can work all the time.
     B. Each learner can work at his own pace.
     C. Each learner can work on his own materials.
     D. Each learner is responsible for his own performance.
     E. Each learner receives individual attention from the teacher.

II. What can be done in the language lab?

     A. Presentation
     B. Practice
     C. Development
     D. Testing

III. The role of the language lab
 
 
 

Part Two: Tape-based language lab

What are the possible resources?

I. Different types of materials (Rixon, 1990)

     A. Materials for oral production or for comprehension
     B. Extensive and intensive learning
     C. Recorded and live listening
     D. Authentic and specially constructed materials

II. Methods to get the materials you need (Rixon, 1990)

     A. Buying published material
     B. Adapting published material
     C. Making your own material
     D. Live performances

III. Available media in the language lab

     A. Visual aids in the language lab (Bowen, 1982)
     ¡@
          1. Printed materials---books, pictures
          2. Boards
          3. Projectors
          ¡@
     B. Teaching with video (Tomalin, 1990)
     ¡@
          1. What, where, how much, how often
          2. Planning
          3. Technical preparation
          4. When things go wrong
          5. Communicative techniques (See Appendix I)
          ¡@
     C. Live TV programs
     ¡@
          1. Resources and limitations
          2. Extensive viewing
          3. Classroom follow-up
          ¡@
     D. Radio broadcast
     ¡@
          1. What kind of broadcast to use
          2. How broadcast can be used?
          3. Exploiting a broadcast
          4. Activities following a radio broadcast
          ¡@
 
 
 

Part Three: Overview the language lab

What are the questions and considerations to be addressed before installing a CALL-based language lab?¡@ (John de Szendeffy, 1998) http://www.bu.edu/celop/MLL/install.html

I. General considerations

     A. Pedagogical goals.
     B. Timing.
     C. Technical resources.
     D. Teacher resources.
     E. Material.
     F. Budget.

II. Specific considerations

     A. Networking issues: How your computers will be connected with each other, a server, and the Internet?
     B. Platform: Macintosh, Windows, or NC (network computer running Java).
     C. Network administrator.
     D. Expansion: How you expand, upgrade, or build on a current or proposed lab.
     E. Peripherals: Hardware beyond computers, a server, and network componetns?
     F. Physical plan: Security, layout

IV. Personnel issues

     A. Administration
     ¡@
          1. Lab staffing: Will there be a full-time or part-time coordinator?
          2. Institutional commitment
          3. Training
          (a) Are your faculty already sold on the idea of CALL?
          (b) How would you initiate or chart out the sequence of training steps?
          (c) What computer skills¡Xor enthusiasm for learning¡Xdo your faculty have?
          (d) Will training be orchestrated by one or designated individuals or by each for him/herself?
          (e) Do you have in-service training for your faculty now? How often, what topics, and who is
               responsible?
          (f) How much money do you anticipate spending on hardware and software upgrades as the lab
               matures?     How much on teacher training to cope with these changes?
          (g) The Startup Training Approach of the MLL (see Appendix II)
          (http://www.bu.edu/celop/MLL/MLLtrain.html)
 

References
[1] Bowen, B. M. (1990). Look Here! Visual Aids and Language Teaching.¡@ London: Macmillan Publishers Ltd.
[2] Dakin, J. (1975).¡@ The Language Laboratory and Language Learning.¡@ London: Longman Group Ltd.
[3] Kelty, J. (1991). Family Album, U.S.A.¡@ New York: Maxwell Macmillan International Publishing Group.
[4] Rixon, S. (1990).¡@ Developing Listening Skills.¡@ London: Macmillan Publishers Ltd.
[5] Tomalin, B. (1990). Video, TV & Radio in the English Class.¡@ London: Macmillan Publishers Ltd.
[6] (John de Szendeffy, 1998) http://www.bu.edu/celop/MLL/install.html
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