Andover High School's new privately-funded language lab is in the process of coming online and was scheduled to be toured by residents at an open house on Wednesday, March 31.
Wiring and computers have been installed, but the lab's high-tech equipment won't be online until the end of the week, said Ellen Gaudiano, AHS Spanish teacher and lead foreign language teacher.
Once fully operational, students will use computers and state-of-the-art audio equipment to interact with multimedia-based lessons from around the world, said AHS Spanish teacher Chris Krueger.
"They'll have exposure to global content, right in front of them. There's also the digital audio piece, with allows them so much more opportunity for conversation, practice and teacher feedback," said Krueger.
Each foreign language teacher will get an individual hour-long training session with a trainer starting next week, said Gaudiano, and language classes will begin to fully use the lab toward the end of the month.
Students in all of the language classes offered at AHS - Spanish, French, Latin, German, Mandarin Chinese and American Sign Language - will use the lab. Ten percent of AHS students study more than one language, said Gaudiano.
The language lab's total price tag will come to more than $100,000, funded by the Andover Coalition for Education as well as a grant from the Horne Family Foundation, said Tina Girdwood, ACE member.
"We're just very, very excited to have the opportunity to have this lab. It will really expand our language program," said Gaudiano. "The big thing is we're very thankful to ACE. We wouldn't have it, if it weren't for those private donations."
