When mentioning language labs, a room full of computers at school might come to mind. In fact, language labs are computer rooms equipped with language stations for each student, but their benefits go way beyond primary school.
Although language labs are mainly associated with primary and secondary schools, universities and training centers can also benefit from them, too.
Language skills are in high demand in the job market, and higher education cannot ignore this fact. It must accept this reality in order to prepare future professionals with the maximum possible guarantees to face a globalized world, both in terms of work and personally.
Many universities and training centers already offer e-learning language teaching because it is associated with a high-quality curriculum and prestige, and it is undoubtedly one of the most in-demand teaching methods nowadays. Although this is certainly a step in the right direction, you can take even more steps to make your courses more attractive to students. A networked classroom or language lab can be that extra step.
Benefits of language labs
The benefits of offering language training through a language lab are manifold. In the publication “Need of an English Language Laboratory in Engineering Universities,” published by Samina Hashmi for the Bahria University (Pakistan), some of the main advantages are mentioned, among which are:
- Students can study independently in a pleasant and adequate environment, where they are provided with all the tools and materials needed to learn.
- They teach responsibility. In these laboratories, students must be responsible for their studies, even if they have tutors who monitor them.
- They offer interactive exercises that help keep students motivated, even those who are more reluctant to study languages.
- The shared physical space can be used for exercises in pairs or in groups to practice vocabulary, for example.
Features of Dexway’s networked classrooms
Networked classrooms optimize the center’s computer resources and help students prepare themselves for entering the global world after (or during) college. Dexway Networked Classrooms, the language division of Computer Aided E-learning, are the perfect solution for progressive and natural language learning. How do Dexway language labs work and what are they comprised of?
#1. Language immersion
Dexway networked classrooms provide a comprehensive face-to-face language immersion, utilizing the stations available in the classroom. Dexway language courses are available in eight languages: English (UK/USA), French, Spanish, Italian, German, Russian and Brazilian Portuguese. In addition, help guides have been translated into the student’s native language for the lower levels.
#2. Course levels
Dexway courses are based on the teaching-by-doing method that follows the structure of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Contents have been optimally structured in order to reach the maximum language skills of each of the levels from A1 to C1, learning from 0 to 100% of the language, without any gaps.
#3. Clear objectives for each course
Dexway offers a catalog of courses for networked classrooms based on the students’ primary needs. For example, there are courses that focus on improving communication and others that help you to prepare for certification tests (the exclusive Dexway Certificate course).
#4. Monitoring tools
Teachers have access to Dexway Analytics, a monitoring tool that allows them to view the group’s course progress at any time. This way, tutors can follow the course progress and schedule reinforcement exercises for the class when needed to work on students’ shortcomings.
#5. Unlimited local access
Installing Dexway courses is simple since they work on a local area network, which doesn’t require an internet connection (except during installation). In addition, you can program connections to update the contents.
More information on how to implement a language lab in your center.
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