Montverde provides an intensive English Language Learning program to non-native English speaking students, while all English native speakers are required to take a foreign language. Therefore, nearly every student in the high school will use the Sanako Lab 300 at some point during the week.
 
Mr. Derek Gaudet, Director of International Student Academic Development notes the school has grown tremendously in the last few years and has developed a large population of international students in the boarding program. Many of the students are coming from homes where English is not the first language, yet they want an accredited high school diploma in order to attend American universities.
 
With the recent growth in international students, the school has found that each ESL level has students of varying needs. It was felt that a new language solution was needed to help them address the different levels they had in their classes. A concerned family in the high school made a significant donation and the Chen Family Foreign Language Laboratory was developed during the summer of 2009 to provide the school with a modern, up-dated approach to language acquisition and development.
 
The Chen Family Foreign Language Lab is equipped with 45 networked multimedia computers and a dual screened administration station. The lab utilizes the SANAKO Lab 300 system, which helps control student and teacher access to a number of other programs for language development.
 

• The paired discussion feature is the most popular function with the students. They really enjoy speaking to each other and practicing their new language skills with a one-on-one live audience.
  
• Teachers create exercises and assignments that require students to create their own dialogues and conversations.
  
• Teachers appreciate being able to listen to the pairs and provide feedback and guidance to individuals as they need it.
  
• Teachers are seeing faster language development with this peer to peer approach and are finding it easier to individualize each assignment for their students' needs.

 
 
Without exception the language teachers in the Foreign Language Department and the Progressive English Department alike have found this new technology to be extremely useful in helping them deliver the strongest language learning opportunities possible. They are excited to try new tools and programs using the Sanako Language Lab.

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