An inexpensive way to foster interactive, participatory learning in the language laboratory through communicative tasks is described. Problems with traditional approaches are discussed, and enthusiastic reactions from both students and teachers to the University of Maryland-College Park multimedia approach are reported. (39 references) (LB)

Suggestions are offered for ways to modify a typical community college language laboratory to serve diverse student needs. The discussion is based on experiences of Anchorage Community College, which modeled its lab on a learning resources center rather than a traditional lab. (LB)

Discusses Travessia, a Portuguese language curriculum that emphasizes development of communicative competence by using printed materials, the language lab, and a series of video tapes focused on Brazilian culture. (SR)

Analysis of the literature of second language learning as applied to language laboratory use suggests that the emphasis be placed on listening comprehension prior to and independent of productive oral use of the target language, both to establish comprehension and to sustain student motivation. (MSE)

Ways to combine small classes of higher education students studying Spanish at various levels are described, including judicious use of language laboratories, staggering of the different level groups, and rotation of activities geared toward students' individual proficiency levels. (CB)

Completely automated and operated by student feedback, this program teaches and tests foreign language recognition and retention, gives repeated audiolingual practice on model structures, and allows the student to tailor the program to his individual needs. The program is recorded on four tape tracks (track 1 for the most correct answer, etc.).…