This week I read an article focusing on how students in Fiji are using technology to learn the English language.
To read the article titled, "Language in a Lab", click the link below:
Full Text Article
This article was so intriguing and I would highly recommend it to anyone who in interested in cultural education. In Fiji, students aspire to become excellent in English in the hopes of attaining a job where the English language is considered a high form of communication. The way the students are learning English in Fiji is through language laboratories.
One way the language lab is useful is with students' speech. The labs provide resources to help get the best fluency and enunciation with their speech. The program engages the learner's eyes and ears to help them acquire the language. The lab also offers web-assisted materials, video/audio taped recordings, broadcasting, and televised interactions.
There are four main types of laboratories.
Conventional Laboratory: At this lab, students have audiotapes and a tape recorder to listen to audiotapes and learn through listening.
Lingua Phone: This one is a little more recent and up-to-date than the conventional laboratory. This one has students with headphones and audio being played. A positive for this lab is students are able to listen closely and evaluate for any mistakes in the student's enunciation.
Computer-assisted language: This laboratory utilizes the use of computer programs that teach the target language.
Multimedia high-tech: This lab is wonderful for differentiation. Students can be challenged no matter where they are intellectually. They are using different language software to add more support to these student's work. This lab provides an "array of optimistic outcomes".
In summary, we cannot rely on textbooks and lectures to teach our ESL students to learn English. The primary goal of these laboratories is to teach students how to effectively use technology to communicate, enhance the students' macro skills, and when they are able, exhibit their own talent to an advanced level.
Megan,
ReplyDeleteSounds like this is a great article to have as a ESL teacher. I would love to implement some of these forms of technology in my own classroom as a way to enhance my students academic learning and second language acquisition skills. Thank you for sharing!
Samantha