Our Story

The University of Washington began to develop the idea of a Language Laboratory in the 1950s with the goal of providing supplementary language instruction to students through the utilization of various audio-visual devices. This instruction was designed for students to enhance their listening and dictation skills through independent practice. By the 1960s, the project was taking off, though the lab faced a shortage of funds and staff. George C. Buck, an assistant professor in the Department of Germanic Languages and Literature, and Victor E. Hanzeli, an assistant professor in the Department of Romance Languages and Literature, foresaw the increasing enrollment of students in language departments. With their help, the Language Lab was solidified as an integral space for language learning at the UW. The Language Lab gave students access to recordings of both local and commercial lessons and created a “tape library” where students could check out these instructional materials. Additionally, students could use the lab’s equipment to record their responses to test questions.

The Language Laboratory was eventually redubbed as the Language Learning Center (LLC) and has continued to adapt to the changing times, now utilizing new technologies and language development tools. In addition to language testing, the LLC also digitizes files and maintains an online streaming database which can be used by instructors for their language classes. In 2015, Denny Hall underwent a renovation which made room for the LLC's new facilities. There are now rooms equipped with language learning software and video conferencing technology which can be used for classes, language programs, or other events. Furthermore, the LLC now assists in various on campus and community language projects: we help record for the Turkey in Seattle Oral History Project, organize various STARTALK programs for the National Security Language Initiative (NSLI), and contribute to the Mapping and Enhancing Language Learning (MELL) project which tracks language programs in Washington schools.

The LLC seeks to assist in language learning and research here at the University of Washington and in the surrounding communities. Our mission has been and will continue to be to provide students and instructors the tools and help needed for bolstering the beauty of world languages and cultures.

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