Orono fits a world of words into language lab

Orono High School sophomore Romelyn Walker, 16, doesn't know if or when she'll travel to her birthplace in the Philippines.

But when she returns, the Maple Plain resident wants to speak Tagalog, the country's primary language.

The problem: In recent years, west-metro students interested in languages other than mainstays like Spanish or German ran into roadblocks as schools' language offerings became victims of budget cuts.

This fall, however, Orono is offering a state-of-the-art world language lab that students can use to independently study almost any language. Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Korean and Tagalog are some of the choices.

The lab -- made possible by a $100,000 gift last year from Orono parents Richard and Jennie Goelz -- is used by more than 700 students in Orono's language courses and English language learner programs.

The lab has 37 new computers loaded with interactive language software teachers can use for computer-based exams, practice lessons and recording and storing digital audio files.

"It's fabulous," said Marilyn Pederson, chairwoman of Orono High's world language department. "This is our crown jewel."

The nuts and bolts

Orono Spanish teacher Kelly Hanly said with the addition of the lab, manual tape recorders, paper-and-pencil vocabulary quizzes and other tools once used to gauge language skills are practically obsolete.

"In a classroom with 30 kids, it's difficult to hear them all speak." But with the language lab, a teacher can zero in on any student.

During one of the independent study classes last week, Hanly took a quick peek over the shoulder of senior Sean Wong and pointed to several pictures on his computer screen. Wong's lesson included pictures of scenes from daily life in China. He's studying Mandarin.

She could have monitored Wong's progress from her computer station at the front of the room, but she walked around periodically in case students needed help.

"It takes everyday images and connects the language with them," Hanly said. "It's not just blind guessing."

Hanly is also excited about her new ability to shake things up and "pair someone at Station 26 with someone across the room at Station 3."

In a traditional classroom, students often work with someone who sits next to them, Hanly said. But if the person they're working with is across the room, students are more likely to rely on the target language.

Another district's experience

Aaron Ruhland, the district's learning and accountability director, said district officials looked to similar labs at St. Paul College and Richfield High School when they were planning Orono's lab.

Richfield High German instructor Elizabeth Zehnpfennig said her school's lab opened in 2005 after the district won a $100,000 technology grant from Best Buy.

"It looks like a regular computer lab," Zehnpfennig said. But "the teacher console is where the magic happens."

There, teachers can listen in on students to check their pronunciation skills or whether they understand passages they're assigned.

Zehnpfennig said Richfield students' scores on the Minnesota Language Proficiency Assessments (MLPAs), which measure reading, writing, listening and speaking skills, have improved since the lab opened.

"It's increased engagement. The kids are always ready to go and use the lab."

Not too fast or too slow

It's still too early for Orono to chart its students' progress. Last week, Walker and Orono freshman Allie Gardner, of Independence, sat a few seats away from each other and completed their lessons in Tagalog and Japanese.

Gardner lived in Japan with her parents for one year until her family returned to the United States this fall. She plans to use the independent study class to hone her Japanese skills. The 14-year-old hopes to return to the hustle and bustle of Tokyo someday.

"I like going at my own pace instead of having to stay with the class if they're moving too fast or too slow," Gardner said.

Patrice Relerford • 612-673-4395

Patrice Relerford • prelerford@startribune.com