Customer Spotlight
Welcome to our customer spotlight!
On this page we will highlight different customers who have used SANAKO technology to improve teaching and learning outcomes in their institutions. So read on to find out more about how you too can get the best results by using Sanako live learning solutions.
Our featured institution is Miramonte High School of Orinda, California
Miramonte High School is located in the quiet suburb of Orinda, California, just across the bay from San Francisco. The school is consistently ranked one of the top public high schools in the State. The student population at Miramonte is approximately 1,400 with more than two thirds of the students enrolled in at least one World Language class. Miramonte is a very demanding school with high expectations for both its students and staff. More than 95% of all Miramonte students continue on to college with many applying to some of the most prestigious universities in the country. In order to better serve the students at Miramonte, the faculty strives to be at the forefront of technology use. In addition to our SANAKO Lab 100 language lab, the school has four computer labs and two mobile laptop systems. The faculty at Miramonte High School is always looking for new ways to use their technological resources to improve education.
The World Language Department offers Spanish and French, and it also has a vibrant and growing Latin program. In the last three years, the number of students enrolled in Latin has increased 67%. Language labs have been integral part of language learning at Miramonte for many years and, as is often the case in many high schools, language lab usage has been primarily dominated by the Spanish and French teachers.
Bringing a “Dead” Language to Life
There appears to be a common opinion shared amongst many foreign language teachers that Latin is not a “living” language and therefore does not require time in the language lab. We have found this to be a misconception. There are many valuable activities that Latin students can engage in while using our Sanako language lab. With the opportunity to use the language lab, our Latin students are actively using the Latin language and breathe new life into it.
A Variety of Activities
There are several activities that the Latin teacher can do in the language lab to improve their students’ Latin education. Using the Pair Discussion Activity in the Sanko Lab 100, students can engage in Latin dialogues with one another. In addition to interacting with each other in Latin, the students can also participate in teacher-directed question and answer sessions as well as listening comprehension activities. With the Quiz Activity the teacher and the students are able to get immediate feedback. The students are also able to record and playback their efforts at speaking in Latin. With all the possibilities in Lab 100, each trip to the lab can provide the students with a fun and unique learning experience.
The Results
From the teacher’s perspective, working with Latin students in the Sanako lab is a dream. The teacher can do all the activities he or she normally does in the classroom and so much more. The teacher can focus on listening to all his or her students speak Latin and then provide each student with quick, immediate and private feedback from the teacher desk. Most importantly, the students are more engaged in the learning experience and are excited to be in the language lab. Here are just a few comments from Latin students on what they thought about using the Sanako Lab:
“The language lab was really fun. I liked being able to interact with other people in the class and having conversations with them. I also like the small quizzes a lot, they were great.”
“Doing Latin in an interactive manner makes it easier to understand.”
"Our SANAKO language lab is not only a fun way to spend a class period but it’s also a very beneficial and efficient way to use instructional time teaching Latin."