The impact of the use of the language laboratory on the development of the students' speaking skills : an empirical study

الملخص EN

The current research aims at discovering the impact, of the use of the two strategies audio / tape recorder and audiovisual/ video tape in the language laboratory 7 on the development of the students' speaking skills at the department of English / Teachers College / University of Mosul.

The sample consists of 36 students (12 males and 24 females) who have been selected from among third year students during the first course of the academic year 1997-1998.

The speaking skills test has been prepared by the researchers themselves depending on-previous studies and researches so as to test the hypotheses.

The findings show significant statistical differences between the first experimental group and the second experimental group in the speaking skills rest for the benefit of the second group in comprehension, grammar and pronunciation.

This indicates that the audiovisual strategy is an effective means in teaching conversation.