More than a Language lab

When I first heard about the Auroville Language Lab, the immediate association was grainy black and white pictures of people with headphones, sitting in booths listening to audio tapes. The use of technological devices in language learning is as old as the phonograph. After Edison’s invention of the phonograph in 1877, the first record sets for learning English and Spanish were available in 1893. The first dedicated laboratory for foreign language study was set up in the University of Grenoble in France in 1908. An American, Frank Chalfant, studied in Grenoble and took the idea to Washington State College. The rest, as they say, is history.

Language labs have evolved from the early phonograph days to modern digital labs, but the idea seemed to be past its glory days of the mid-20th century. So, I was curious to see what such a lab would look like in Auroville, a township with more than 50 languages.

Tucked away in a little-known corner of the International Zone, the Language Lab is housed in a new building. As I changed into special chappals and walked inside, I saw the list of languages being taught in the Language Lab – English, German, Hindi, Sanskrit, Italian, Tamil and Spanish (listed in that order). French was conspicuous by its absence.

“The classes start after 4:30 pm,” said Mita (Radhakrishnan), who started the Language Lab with Tapas (Desrousseaux). She had sensed my unsaid question about the empty classrooms surrounding the large courtyard. Upstairs from the language learning level is another set of large rooms dedicated to Tomatis listening and therapy. The building itself has a look of ‘near-completion’ – some of the flooring is unfinished and the passive cooling system is not yet operational.

Sustainable architecture

The passive cooling system is one of the most interesting features of the new building. Three wide cooling towers provide the inlet for air. The air flows through sieves of activated alumina, which absorbs moisture and dehumidifies the air. A network of underground air channels supplies the air to vertical shafts placed in every room. The rooms have exhaust systems, which help the airflow. Also, the central courtyard has a domed metal roof with air outlets, which adds to the convection of warm air out of the building.

Even without the full cooling system being operational, the building is surprisingly cool. The large central courtyard helps, as also the use of lime for mortar and plaster.

All carpentry is done using ‘cyclone wood’ or used wood. Water is conserved through rainwater harvesting and reuse of greywater. The new building is turning into quite an architectural landmark and more than 600 students of architecture have already visited it.

Language learning

The building starts bustling with activity in the late afternoon. The sun streams into Susana’s class of beginning Spanish. Six students sit at colorful desks, working on their language skills. The atmosphere is warm and interactive, and the students seem to be enjoying the class. Down the corridor, Sitara is using innovative material with her small group of students learning basic German. The German course is structured based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and can lead to the A1 certificate if the students want to take the exam. Mita’s English class has the largest number of students and uses a variety of instructional materials, such as videos, presentations and worksheets.

Classroom instruction is well supported by the ‘Mediatheque’, a large multimedia lab for language learning. Each of the computers is loaded with learning resources touching more than 100 languages. The resources range from well-established language programmes, such as Rosetta Stone, to more informal learning resources, such as videos downloaded from the Internet.

I talk to two young men from the bioregion, who are using a multimedia programme called Connect with English. They enjoy the real-life situations depicted in the videos and seem to be making progress. They are also students in Mita’s English class, and they use the ‘Mediatheque’ for additional learning and practice.

Tomatis therapy

The Auroville Language Lab is also home to the Tomatis Research Centre. The Tomatis Method is one of two methods of Auditory Integration Training (AIT), the other being the Berard Method, which is more popular in North America. “AIT is based on the concept that electronically modulated or filtered music provided through headphones may be helpful in remediating hypersensitivities to sound and auditory processing deficits thought to be problematic for children with a variety of conditions including autism.”

Developed by Dr. Alfred Tomatis in France, the Tomatis Method involves listening to sounds and processed music through a special device called the Electronic Ear, which suppresses lower frequencies and amplifies higher frequencies. The headphones include a bone conductor, which helps transfer the sounds to the auditory system of the brain. According to Dr. Tomatis, a French otolaryngologist, the Electronic Ear produces its beneficial therapeutic effect by increasing tympanic pressure and by exercising the two muscles of the tympanum, the malleus and the stirrup bone muscles.

The Tomatis Method is also used for foreign language learning. Although the earliest experiments of Dr. Tomatis had nothing to do with languages, he soon discovered the potential of ear training for language learning. Different languages have different overtones, or combinations of frequencies, generated by the varying positions of the tongue in the mouth. Our ears are attuned to the frequencies of the language we grow up with, which makes learning a foreign language somewhat difficult. So, according to the Tomatis approach, learning a foreign language can be easier if we train our ear to listen to the new frequencies. This is usually done through a two-step process. First, a listening test is conducted that tells you which frequencies you hear well and which ones are not being heard. In the second step, you hear processed music – the frequencies that you hear well are suppressed, while the ones you need to hear better are amplified.

The website of the Auroville Language Lab (aurovillelanguagelab.org) lists the following conditions that can be treated with the Tomatis Method:

– Autism and other communication disorders

– Learning disorders including dyslexia, dysgraphia, aphasia, etc.

– Hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder

– Certain kinds of hearing loss

– Language delays and other language problems including stuttering

– Depression and lack of confidence

– Problems in expression and voice control (including loss of voice)

It also mentions the use of the method in stress and anxiety reduction, release of creative potential and improving concentration and memory. A presentation on the Tomatis Method talks about addressing problems related to ‘adopted kids’, ‘teenage angst’ and ‘midlife crisis.’

Can one kind of therapy address such a wide range of problems? How effective is the Tomatis Method? The scientific literature on the subject is equivocal. One study, conducted over a year, found no beneficial effect for children with learning disabilities. The study was repeated over a longer period to see if that made any difference, but the outcome was still negative. In fact, the control group, which did not receive Tomatis therapy but only received placebo treatment, had better outcomes.

A more recent survey of the literature looked at the effectiveness of both AIT methods – Berard and Tomatis – in reducing aberrant behavior in people with Pervasive Developmental Disorders (also called Autism Spectrum Disorders). The paper concluded: ‘Given the numerous flaws in design methodologies, and a lack of empirical data, it is suggested that AIT be considered an experimental treatment option until more definitive evidence is available’.

But empirical evidence might not show the complete picture. The lived experience of children who use the Tomatis Method tells a very different story. In one case, the child was born with ‘serious bilateral cochlear damage’. She heard very little and was socially withdrawn. After several listening sessions conducted over three years, her hearing improved dramatically and she ‘became confident, outgoing and made tons of friends’. In another case of an Aurovilian child diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), significant improvements were visible after just a few listening sessions. In a third case, a mildly autistic child was fully integrated in a regular school after undergoing Tomatis therapy.

According to Mita, Tomatis therapy is an alternative to mainstream drug-based treatment. As such, it might be best studied through a case-based approach rather than statistical analysis. And we must not underestimate the effect of empathy, care and love on the lives of children with learning disabilities or with pervasive developmental disorders.

Going forward

The Language Lab has been operating in some form since 1998, when Tapas used to teach French classes in her home. After the fateful meeting with Dr. Tomatis in December 2001 in France, the team moved into a formal facility in 2004. And now the Auroville Language Lab has its own building, waiting to realize its potential.

“For the last two years, we have been totally immersed in constructing the building,” said Mita. With the constant challenges of dealing with architects, contractors and material, she has had no time to think about anything else. Now, as things are beginning to settle down, she will perhaps have more time to focus on developing the programmes of the Language Lab, particularly its research aspects.

One promising area of research is the use of Tomatis listening for learning Indian languages. If the Tomatis Method is to be used for learning Tamil or Sanskrit, the equipment must be set up with the specific frequency parameters for those languages. Dr. Tomatis had identified the audio parameters for several European languages, but none for Indian languages. The Language Lab is currently looking for researchers who might be interested in this field of work.

The other interesting area being explored is the integration of the Language Lab with Auroville schools as well as outreach schools. Mita says that children who undergo group therapy using Tomatis listening tend to build a special bond among themselves. It’s as if the resonance of frequencies creates a resonance among the children. Tomatis listening can also help these school children in their language learning.

Of course, there is the unfinished work of constructing the building. The Language Lab does not have the funds to complete the work, but Mita has no doubt that a way will emerge. “The whole thing has been a miracle,” she says. I suspect hard work, dedication and sacrifice had some role to play as well, considering that Mita had sold her flat in Delhi to help finance the new building!