Amna Yousif, Saudi Arabia
I used the language lab for my traslation course. The students are given a written text and asked to look at it and record their translation. They then listen to their traslation without looking at the text and decide whether it is comprehensible. The next step is to transcribe their translation compare it with the original and make any necessary corrections. In groups with similar texts they discuss various translations as to lexis, sturcture, spelling and style and come up with one translation that all agree upon.

Robbie, England
I like to use songs in the language lab. A very simple exercise is to do a gap-fill. Choose a song and provide the students with a worksheet with the lyrics, but some words omitted. The students then listen to the song and try to fill in the missing words. The advantage of using a language laboratory is that the students can work at their own speed. Also it means you can provide different exercises for different levels in the class. You could do a worksheet with more words gapped for higher level students, for example. A little thought does need to go into the choice of the song, the words to be deleted and the tasks you do before and after. You also do need to set a time limit. However I do find this to be a productive and enjoyable activity for the students.

Tjang Kian Liong, Bandung, Indonesia
Some language laboratories are equipped with very expensive networks of cassette players, video players, and also multimedia computers. Students can be set to work individually, in pairs, in groups among themselves, or communicate interactively with the teacher, alone or in groups. However, not all schools can afford such luxury, while a laboratory literally means a place to work. Thus, an English Language Laboratory is, in my mind, a place where English learners are supposed to work with the language mentioned. If we look at it in this sense, then we can also have a language laboratory that is equipped with a set of video player and camera, plus a cassette player perhaps, for example. However, the activities in this room should be dynamic enough so that it can be called a lab. How? One of the many activitities, for example, is that students should create something to be recorded in the tape or disk for further discussion. For instance, one student takes the role of a Personnel Manager sitting at a desk, and another student pretends to be a job applicant. The applicant should knock at the door, walk into the room, and greet the manager, and the manager should let the applicant sit down and give the interview. Everything is recorded with a camera, and the recording is shown to the whole class later, which can proceed with a discussion about the language used. We can go even further by discussing the nonverbal communication caught by the camera. This should be interesting to the students.

Marta Nowacka, Poland
Dear Patrick,

The first thing which comes to mind is to use a language laboratory to practise pronunciation of L2 or/and speaking.

Firstly, to improve their pronuciation you can record material you want students to work on, e.g. a song, drills, anything and then they can prepare it at their own pace. By the way, you'll have a chance to monitor their performance and will be able to devote more time to those students that really need help. Believe it or not a great number of students improve their L2 pronunciation through pure imitation of foreign sounds, thus, a bit of drilling will do no harm to anybody and may on the other hand, bring good results.

Secondly, you can work on your students' speaking skills. Prepare a topic for them to discuss (in pairs) ask them to record their discussion on the tape (in that case, one tape recorder with two headsets necessary - if not a monologue will do)and then when they have finished,you may analyse their recordings and look for their strengths and weaknesses with respect to accuracy, fluency, interaction etc.(This exercise is usually a success with more advanced adult learners.)

My last suggestion, use it to improve students' skills in reading aloud (and pronunciation). Prepare a text for them to read, e.g. a news report works well with majority of them. Tell them to imagine that tonight they have to substitute a newsreader in your local TV/radio station. All they have to focus on is a 'native-like' reading of a passage. This of course may be recorded and then evaluated by a learner himself/herself, a peer or/and a teacher.

Good luck! Let me know if it is of any use to you. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.