There was a time when learning a language meant attending endless classes of theory, explanations and grammatical structures. Students would repeat and memorise verbs and vocabulary endlessly. Practice was reduced to occasional and somewhat monotonous exercises, and what has traditionally been called “homework”. Today, the experience in a language lab has no reason to be this way. With the arrival of e-learning, learning a language has become a pleasant, comforting and motivating activity. It has nothing to do with the former methods which were not always fruitful. However, presential classes have also developed in time with new technology. In this way, language labs have established themselves as an increasingly valuable option for educational centres.
Why is this perception increasingly positive? What provides language labs with so much learning potential?
Let’s begin by looking at what a language lab is and what it is not. It is an educational resource that offers teachers and students a wide range of interactive tools for making training dynamic, encouraging participation. But the most valuable of all is their full linguistic immersion.
Before selecting how to design an online classroom or language lab, we must define a methodology; that is, a way of focusing learning, structuring it and orienting the activity of teachers and students to guarantee the success of the training. Language labs must integrate this methodology, project it, and provide adequate technology for adapting it in a fluid and natural way.
In this sense, for schools and educational centres, the most valued aspects of language labs are the following:
#1. Language labs enhances the role of the teacher.
The immediacy of presential classes allows the teacher to correct and answer questions that arise. This circumstance provides a rhythm and fluidity to the classes, facilitating direct communication and thereby collaborative learning.
In turn, the language lab allows teachers to show their qualities as motivators of learning beyond their usual functions. These requirements serve as an incentive for the teachers themselves. Teachers also have a rich and gratifying experience with language labs for their professional development.
The online classroom is also a reliable and direct indicator for the teacher, helping to determine the pace of individual and collective learning, as well as defining the level of study to dedicate to each piece of content.
#2. Capacity for improving the enthusiasm of the student.
The dynamic and interactive nature of learning and the motivating role of the teacher contribute to obtaining an optimal level of commitment from the student. They improve their sense of responsibility, and thereby increase the chances of success in training.
#3. Prestige for the school or educational centre.
Incorporating the latest technology for language learning entails more than providing students and teachers with resources for encouraging participation, interactivity and monitoring of training. The centre is also positioned as an advanced entity, which improves the way it is perceived in the sector and increases its competitive level.
#4. Technology as a basis for effectiveness and profitability.
Incorporating the latest trends in educational technology allows the computer resources of the centre to be optimised, resulting in improved profitability of investment. Furthermore, it facilitates the use of teaching material and content developed by the centre, offering the teacher the greatest flexibility for designing the classes.
Ultimately, opting for language labs is a great qualitative leap in the learning experience of students, and orients the training model towards participation, interactivity and diversity of tools for practice, guaranteeing full linguistic immersion. When making a decision that will guarantee the above factors, discover the training offered by Dexway, the language division of CAE (Computer Aided E-learning), leader in e-learning training.
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