Teaching ESL, ELL & ESOL

With the wide variety of English-speaking abilities and languages incorporated in ESL, ELL and ESOL classrooms, the EM Learning Lab is even more valuable to the learning environment:

 

The teacher has the ability to converse with each student on a “one on one” basis. With headphones on each student in the class, outside distractions are reduced and the student is more focused on working with the teacher. As a result, initial assessment of each student’s ability can quickly and easily be made. As an added bonus, having a private conversation with a student eliminates the intimidation of speaking in front of the entire class, therefore a better assessment is likely.
The EM Learning Lab allows for the teacher to pair or group students of similar ability in seconds. Students can be working on completely different listening, speaking, reading or writing activities – without the other students knowing what level activity they are practicing. Any curriculum can be used with the EM Lab.
Multiple audio/video sources can be played simultaneously to teach multiple groups, pairs, or individuals at the same time. Audio lessons can be played through student headsets from any computer, CD, the internet, the teacher’s computer, a VCR, DVD or TV, or cassette tapes.
The teacher can listen to any individual student, pair or group at any time without their knowledge. She can then jump in and instruct or assist that group as needed.
Anytime a student should need assistance during a Lab session, he or she can press the “call” button located on the headset cord and the teacher will be notified that a student has a question. The teacher can then respond promptly and privately without disrupting the rest of the class.
The EM Learning Lab can record 1 to 36 students at the same time. These recordings can be used for immediate playback to individual students to allow them to hear their speech proficiency. Recording can be made multiple times during a Lab session, which gives the student a feeling of “confidence” as their pronunciation and fluency improves. The recordings can also be stored on the hard drive and individual or class CD’s can be burned. A teacher has the option of burning a CD and then grading each student’s presentation at home or another day.
Playing back past and present recordings which the students have made during the school year to the students can give them a “sense of progress” and keep them motivated towards the goal of English fluency.
The Lab also helps the teacher provide variety in the classroom. Through our experience, we have found that students really enjoy and look forward to using the EM Learning Lab. This can help maintain and increase the excitement for students to learn.
The ability for the teacher to communicate so efficiently and effectively with each student will accelerate the student’s proficiency in correct pronunciation, fluency and comprehension of the English language. Students can maximize their time by listening and practicing English more often.
The faster a student can begin to master the English language, the more quickly he or she can be placed in the mainstream classroom setting and achieve parity with students of the same grade level!