Features Set:  

English Lab has a variety of features that will help your English. You can choose what you want to learn with a personalized learning path or use Autolearn. Autolearn will guide you though the program based on your needs.

The pronunciation feature guides you through a list of vocabulary words. You will hear a native English speaker say the word and it will show you the sound patterns of the correct pronunciation. Then you can record your pronunciation of the word and compare the sound patterns.

There are short stories that help with reading and grammar skills. As you go through the stories, you have to insert the proper words into the text from a list. You can also listen to the stories.

Fundamentals:  

English Lab teaches half of the fundamental skills we looked for. In this program, you’ll find instruction on reading, vocabulary and grammar and it has a speech recognition function that will improve your pronunciation.

The missing fundamentals are listening comprehension, writing, conversation practice and cultural aspects. Though these skills may improve by using the software, there isn’t an exercise that specifically addresses these areas of communication.

Ease of Use:  

The software is easy to navigate and use. From the moment you install the software, you’ll be able to begin learning English and not have to spend a lot time learning to use the program.

English Lab is divided into sections and you can pick the lessons you want to learn or you can select the Autolearn function, which will guide you through the lessons as you learn and become more comfortable with the language.

Effectiveness:  

English Lab uses some time–proven methods of teaching like repetition with flashcards.

Ease of Installation/Setup:  

We didn’t have any problems setting up or installing the software. To use all of the features you will need to have a microphone and headphones, sold separately.

Technical Help/Support:  

English Lab has a help page for each section of the program. This is a good place to start if you have a question. You’ll find FAQs and instructions on how to use the different sections of the program. For further assistance, you can contact NowVision Inc., the creators of English Lab, by phone or email.

Overall, English Lab covers the basics of the English language. It is easy to use, will increase vocabulary and improve pronunciation.