Using the Language Lab

A Well-Thought-Out Program in Indonesia

Phillip Rekdale wrote this very interesting report. He also wrote interesting articles on upgrading and maintaining labs.

From the University of Minnesota

The Language Center has some articles online:

Dear Labby answers a question about balky controls in aging labs
Focus on the Language Lab
Teachers meet in the Labs: A Drama in Three Acts
The Labs: Creativity in Action

Online Articles

Some of these articles concern video in the classroom. They are included here because many LLs have video capability. Note that some presentation stands (such as the ELMO EV-368 Document Camera) can function as a video OHP and can also be used as a conventional (albeit fixed) video camera. Some articles deal with CALL, but raise important issues that can be applied to LLs as well.

Bamford, Julian (1998): "Setting Up a Library of English-Language Movies," in TLT Aug. 1998
Daulton, Frank E. (1999): "Creative Uses of Video (Not Covered in the Warranty)" in Video Rising: Newsletter of the Japan Assoc. for Language Teaching.
Diaz, Armando (2000): "A Video Technique for Improving Fluency" in Video Rising: Newsletter of the Japan Assoc. for Language Teaching.
Jones, Jeremy (2001): "CALL and the Teacher's Role in Promoting Learner Autonomy", CALL-EJ Online Vol. 3, No. 1, June 2001. "This article probes the relationship between computer-assisted language learning and autonomy, focusing on the role of the teacher in making the technology an effective learning opportunity." I also claim learner autonomy as an important benefit of using the LL. The interactions of teacher-learners-technology should be explored.
Kayaoglu, M. (n.d.): "Has Video Become a White Elephant?"
Kikuchi , Toshikazu (1997): "A Review of Research on the Educational Use of English Captioned Materials in Japan."
Kluge, D. E. & Taylor, M. A. (2000): "Boosting Speaking Fluency Through Partner Taping"
Levi, Joseph Abraham (n.d.): "A More Creative Use of the Language Laboratory in Second Language Acquisition. What Works in Portuguese Can Work for ESL too! How to use the Sony Systems to your advantage." A closer look at the Sony LLC-5510 Console and/or Sony LL Control Console LLC-9000 System by Joseph Abraham Levi, Adjunct Assistant Professor, African American World Studies Program, The University of Iowa
McCarthy, Brian (2002): "Resisting Obsolescence in CALL". ALL-EJ Online Vol. 3, No. 2. A case study of Hypercard software for teaching French. "From a purely educational point of view, the only compelling reason to abandon a resource is if it loses the capacity to serve in a particular teaching and learning environment."
Namiki, Nobuaki (1996): "Computer and English Teaching : Language Laboratory Methods in the Internet Age" (in Japanese)
Tuzi, Frank (1998): "Real Audio to Augment Real Listening in the ESL Classroom". [Real Audio from the internet can be used in the LL by connecting a PC's sound card output to the LL's audio input.]