Language Labs

_

An Overview

Labs of the College of Languages  were established in the same year as the college itself, in  the current location in 1987. At that time, they were made of four main audio-visual halls, in addition to four other halls distributed among the academic departments. In 2009, which is named as the year of comprehensive change in the College of Languages, computers were introduced for the first time as scientific tools for delivering correct pronunciation to students. This was especially important after teaching Computer Science alongside Reading, Pronunciation, Comprehension, and Conversation. The greatest achievement was obtaining a modern phonetic lab from South Korea, making Iraq one of the first countries in the world to use it. It went into operation in 2010, while it was made to operate in the European Union in Germany in 2011. The laboratory makes an electronic university professor containing academic curricula for only three languages: English, French, and Spanish. It includes everything related to language pronunciation, as well as the culture and literature of the mentioned languages. The College is currently working on acquiring a second lab from the same source, which would include 11 languages which are the languages taught at the College of Languages. The lab supposedly would represent a significant leap in the academic and technological development of Iraq as a whole.

Lab Advantages
A language lab is considered one of the most important teaching tools that must be available in the field of foreign language teaching. Experience proved the importance of the language laboratory in the teaching process, and many educators place a great emphasis on this teaching method. Some educators believe that using a language lab has many advantages, including the following: 1. Lightening the burden on teachers. 2. Solving all problems of FL teaching.
Importance of Labs
Here, we provide a summary of the importance of language labs in teaching all foreign languages, including Arabic as a second language, and how they are used. This summery falls into two parts: First: Nature of Language Labs: 1. Defining a language lab: A language lab is a specially designed room for teaching foreign languages. Students sit in small, isolated compartments with noise-blocking walls, ensuring that one student cannot hear what another student is saying. This allows them to practice speaking the language they are learning without disturbing others or being disturbed by others. All students in the class can practice at the same time. The teacher's platform is located at the front of the lab room, facing the students' compartments. It is equipped with a recording device, a player for recordings, two headphones, and a microphone that the teachers wear on their head, allowing them to listen to and speak with all students or any of them using control buttons in front of them. 2. Naming: Some people refer to the language lab as the "Foreign Language Factory," but the name approved by Academies of Sciences in the Arab world is "Language Laboratory" which is a translation from English and French. This name is only partially accurate because it may imply a significant similarity between the language lab and labs used for natural sciences and chemistry. However, the intention behind this name is to emphasize that the importance of the language lab in FL teaching is equivalent to the significance of science labs in those fields. 3. Duties of language lab These include: a. The bases for making a language lab: There are educational and linguistic principles that must be considered when making a language lab. These principles can be divided into two categories: theoretical and practical. The theoretical basis suggests that language is a set of verbal habits acquired through imitation and repetition. Therefore, language learning requires two things: the presentation of instructional material, and the gradual training by learners to acquire the habit of using it. The language lab provides the right environment for forming language habits. It delivers the required language material and provides the necessary time for practice. During a lesson, all students can practice without interfering with each other. Additionally, the psycholinguistic theory emphasizes the importance of sequencing the four known language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) when learning a foreign language. There is both physical and psychological evidence for starting with listening and then moving on to speaking. For example: 1. Training the ear to hear the language makes speaking easier. 2. Focusing on one skill at a time simplifies the learning process. 3. Incorrect listening can lead to incorrect pronunciation. Therefore, the function of the language lab is to help students consciously develop good listening skills, allowing them to listen to how a word is pronounced multiple times. As for the practical basis, this is based on the concept of programmed instruction, which allows students to work at their own pace. In the language lab, students listen to recorded lessons on tape and proceed at a speed that suits their abilities. They can perform exercises without the embarrassment that may occur in front of their peers or the fear of making mistakes
Factors for the Success of a Language Lab
A language lab is a tool like any other machine. Proper use can achieve the desired goal, while a misuse can waste time, money, and effort. The success of a language lab depends on several factors: 1. Adequate teacher training. 2. Student readiness to use the lab, including awareness of its purpose and the habit of good listening. 3. Student self-critique skills to detect and correct their mistakes. 4. Students should know how to use the equipment in their compartments. 5. A technical supervisor is present to maintain and care for the machines, equipment, and electronic devices in the lab. 6. Recognizing that the language lab is most beneficial in the early stages of language learning, as these stages heavily rely on listening and repetition, which the lab facilitates. Language labs play a crucial role in language teaching, providing students with the opportunity to practice and improve their language skills effectively.