Multimedia Language Laboratory and Functions in Learning Foreign Languages

A. Definition Multimedia Language Laboratory
Language laboratory refers to a set of audio video electronic equipment consisting of instructors console as the main engine, equipped with a repeater language learning machine, tape recorder, DVD player, video monitor, a headset and students ¡| booth that is placed in a soundproof room. In addition there is also a multimedia computer components as additional components that can be combined with all of them. When that is done, the language laboratory arose as a multimedia language laboratory.
This means that the language laboratory equipment includes various types of media with each function are varied. With the multimedia language lab, creative teachers can make use of different types of foreign language study programs both packaged in the form of audio cassettes, video, or interactive CD. Even with these tools teachers can also take advantage of her ability to facilitate students to engage actively in the process of communication through the headset and microphone that are available on each student desk.

Currently the device language laboratory has been installed at various schools, centers of education / training, and college. With the presence of laboratory products that are designed solely by experts from Indonesia itself, the price of a multimedia language laboratory to be affordable by the country's educational institutions or private. However, based on observations labaoratorium language can not be optimally used. Even many of whom were left unemployed simply because of problems in the instructor's inability to operate it.

To help overcome these constraints, the following are some techniques written about the use of language laboratories as the accumulated knowledge and experience of the writer for a decade, both as designers, vendors, users, and management consultant and Head of Language Laboratory at several universities.

B. Utilization techniques

a. Listening Class

Classical way using a laboratory tool for learning a foreign language is to learning that can diitegrasikan Listening with Speaking, Writing, and Reading. Targets should be achieved by the use of language laboratory here is that learners can hear, see, observe and understand how native speakers use a foreign language in a variety of different situations. With this target is expected that the learner is able to imitate the model exposed by native speakers. In other words, learners can directly retrieve the original reference, and not a reference to the second, third, or fourth which tend to differ in many respects. To achieve that goal teachers need to prepare a tape or DVD that contains sound and image recordings of native speakers. The technique of presenting the material can be done with some kind of action as follows:

- Use of audio tapes

Instructors play an audio cassette which contains a short story in a linguistically interesting and controlled, a duration of 40 sd 130 deetik. By using a headset, learners concentrate on hearing these stories. Repeat several times until you are sure that the learners have been able to catch content contained in these stories. For the purposes of re-repeat the counter you can take advantage of that usually found on the master tape recorder. To laborium repeater equipped with machine learning language, this approach can be repeated re-done by recording the voice of the master tape recorder to the repeater teresebut without using tapes. Recordings can be heard repeatedly as necessary automatically without involving the process of rewinding.

Next, the rod concentration learners to try to tell which is played back content of the story orally and in writing in the target language or first language. The next step may be some variation in activities, such as answering questions about the content of the story orally, together or individually, transcribing stories, discussions about the parts that hard to catch, or fill-gap informatiaon on a worksheet that has been available.

Examples of materials that can be used for this technique is the work of LG Question and Answers alexander (1983). This book is quite old, but the content-controlled materials, degradable, and interesting. Please note that the degradable and interesting are two important aspects to be considered in designing or selecting instructional materials.

Another example is the work of Jack C. American Brekthrough Richards (1992), which is equipped with a learning worksheet contains tasks complementary information contained in conversational and narrative discourse which is packed in an audio cassette.

- Utilization of VCD / DVD Player

Today many English teaching program that is packed in VCD / DVD. With the multimedia lab, these tools can be used by utilizing the facility VCD / DVD player contained in it. Examples of utilization technique of VCD / DVD is as follows:

Instructors broadcast twice an episode serialized stories via VCD Player with 20-minute duration. On first impressions the learners are asked to consider carefully ceriteranya groove. On second impression is directed to pay attention to language learners are used. Some variation technique can be done in this step. For example, by using the buttons on the VCD Player, the instructor can pause a certain scene and repeat it several times until the learner can mimic the speech-speech that is expressed by the perpetrators. Keep them guessing jointly, or individually with the competition system while utilizing the CALL button which is available at each booth. If learners are not capable, the instructor can help them with memeberikan clues or even a correct answer, which is available in the instructor handbook. Examples of materials that can be used here is the VCD Sadrina Project from the BBC. As homework, the instructor can ask students to tell back in the target language from the impressions sinposis these VCDs.

Book Follow Me to San Francisco from the BBC also can be used in this study. This book comes with a video script which is very helpful in conveying meteri teacher lessons.

- Dubbing Although less than perfect, the language lab equipment can also be used as a training tool voiceover, or dubbing. Select a VCD that contains narration or simple conversations. Exposure to the learner through several impressions. If available give the video script to memorize them. Then, by simply showing a picture and turn down the volume, request to replenish the sound of the drawing. Do this exercise until the learner is able to express the character similar to the native speaker on the video. When was confident learners can do well, record their voice using a blank cassette tape and perdengarkan results to all students. Examples of material used here is the Follow Me to San Francisco (1984).

- Use of Computers Multimedia Computers Multimedia in the language lab is equipped with CD / DVD Rom that is useful to run the English teaching program on CD or DVD Rom. It should be understood that the program CD / DVD Rom different programs on VCD / DVD. With CD Rom program, teachers can display text or images accompanied by voice. In addition, through a CD Rom program, teachers can also repeat material presented in a more efficient and easier. Importantly, these teachers are not computer illiterate. Therefore the CD Rom programs become easier to serve as a lesson. Some examples of the program is a CD Rom English Learn to Speak Bahasa Indonesia, I Want to Read, I Wat to Read, and Tell Me More. These programs are pure only through CD-Rom packed. Lately, also has many English programs packaged in the form of a CD Rom comes with printed books include: Everyday Technical Home (2003), Everyday Business Home (2003), Home for International Tourism (2001), Global Links: Home for International Business (2001) as well as the Longman Complete Course for the TOEFL Test (2001), Oxford Practice Tests for the TOEIC Test (2000), DLS.

Besides its use to run the program CD Rom, VCD, or DVD, a multimedia computer laboratory at the language can also view a Power Point program that not only can be used in teaching English, but also for other presentations.

b. Benefits for Other Classes

In addition to the integrated classroom Speaking Listening, Reading or Writing, multimedia language laboratory devices can also be used as a means of doing semi-immersion programs (semi-immersion programs). By means of audio and / or existing video, multimedia language laboratory can be used to broadcast lectures / learning any field of study which is presented in the target language. For example, the Language Education Programs for students, instructors can display Methods of Teaching Language VCD Diane Larsen-Freeman; for students majoring in literature can be presented in the film Hamlet, SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, ROEMEO and Juliet or films about America to support the course Cross Culture .

There is a possibility that the function of a multimedia laboratory can also be used to broadcast lectures / lessons math, geography, anthropology, biology, history, economics, engineering, medicine, etc. are all presented with the target foreign language throughout the lesson material is available in the form of VCD / DVD , or CD-Rom. When this is done, no doubt semi-immersion learning experience program in which all subjects are presented in the target language. This program is beneficial in two things at once; equip learners with knowledge relevant to the field of study, and also equip them with skills in foreign language through learning prosses unconsciously (subconcsious learning).

With semi-immersion programs are, in future, multimedia language lab can be utilized not only as a means of learning a foreign language, but it also can be used as supporting means for lectures / other subjects. This program can be tested at a vocational education Sailing / Sailing Academy. Cadets in the program can be directed into the living language laboratory for followed impressions contain English-language video recording of the technique to overcome a fire in the ship (fire fighting), filling technique for fuel (bunker), the techniques rely on the ship (on bridge), engineering menjangkar (anchoring ), and techniques to overcome the accident of falling from the ship (man overboard). In this program, cadets are led to consider the speech-speech in English that is needed in the world of shipping, as well as learn how the crew members perform their duties.

Another function that can be done with a multimedia language lab is supporting the standardization of quality graduate programs with a specific English scores such as TOEFL Prediction, Prediction IELTS, or TOEIC Prediction. This program can be done through training of TOEFL, IELTS, or TOEIC with study materials are packed in the form of an audio cassette or CD Rom. Thus, universities and the public can see clearly how well the quality of graduates produced ..

C. Cover

Multimedia language laboratories should be considered a medium that facilitates the learning of foreign bahsa teachers / learners to be able to work more effectively. This effectiveness can not only quantitatively diuukur through the learner in mastering the language skills that are expected, but also qualitatively through the study of learning processes diindaksikan with increasing learner motivation in participating in the teaching-learning kagiatan.

By means of audio-video and multimedia computers, language laboratories logically should be able to provide added value to the effectiveness of foreign language learning process because learners can take a reference to native speakers. This is different from learning without language laboratory where the learner is only exposed to the sound of non-native speakers who are generally still in the form of language between (intelanguage). Failure to improve the effectiveness of learning through a language laboratory is usually caused by human error factor or management errors that have not enabled the language laboratory operates optimally.

In the future, multimedia language lab will be a means not only to support the learning of foreign languages, but also for the purpose of deepening of the various fields of study through the impressions of audio, video, or CD / DVD Rom. Therefore, a multimedia language lab not only be owned by foreign language training institution, but also by other educational institutions. This apparently has been recognized by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) so that it appears the recommendation that training institutions are required to provide a marine laboratory facilities languages. Similarly, medical training institutions and other public universities. To mewadahinya several universities in Makassar has established Home Learning Center is ready to carry out the program. An example is the State University of Makassar (UNM), Makassar Katangka Sailing Academy (APKM), and the University of Atmajaya Makassar (UAJ).