Virtual world language learning

Dr. Abdelfattah Adel 2







• Second Life is the dominant 3D virtual world

on the Web.

• In Second Life there are thousands of

simultaneous users who interact with one

another in the guise of a chosen character or

avatar.


• Second Life has parks, shops, schools,

museums, islands and beaches, all designed

and maintained by the virtual residents.

• It is also supported by an economy and a

virtual currency. You can buy virtual land,

build a virtual house and fill it with virtual

furniture.








• Virtual worlds are playing an increasingly

important role in education, especially in

language learning.

• By March 2007 it was estimated that over 200

universities or academic institutions were

involved in Second Life .


• Joe Miller, Linden Lab Vice President of

Platform and Technology Development,

claimed in 2009 that

"Language learning is the most

common education-based

activity in Second Life".


• Many mainstream language institutes and

private language schools are now using 3D

virtual environments to support language

learning.


• Virtual worlds are used for the

immersive, collaborative and task-based,

game-like opportunities they offer language

learners.

• As such, virtual world language learning can

be considered to offer distinct learning

experiences.


• Immersive: Immersive experiences draw on the ability to be surrounded by a certain (real or fictitious) environment that can stimulate language learning.

• Social: Almost all 3D virtual spaces are inherently social environments where language learners can meet others, either to informally practice a language or to participate in more formal classes.

• Creative: A less-developed approach to language learning in virtual worlds is that of constructing objects as part of a language learning activity.


• The “Six learnings framework” is a pedagogical

outline developed for virtual world education

in general. It sets out six possible ways to view

an educational activity.


1. Exploring: learners explore a virtual world’s locations and communities as fieldwork for class.

2. Collaborating: learners work together within a virtual world on collaborative tasks.

3. Being: learners explore themselves and their identity through their presence in a virtual world, such as through role-play.

4. Building: learners construct objects within a virtual world.

5. Championing: learners promote real life causes through activities and presentations in a virtual world.

6. Expressing: learners represent activities within a virtual world to the outside world, through blogs, podcasts, presentations and videos.








• Some language schools offer a complete

language learning environment through a

virtual world,

e.g. Languagelab.com and Avatar Languages


• The British Council: The British Council has

been teaching English in its restricted Second

Life for Teens location for several years. Visit

the British Council Isle in Second Life and try

your hand at the challenging quests.


• Edunation Islands: An area in Second Life

that focuses on the potential for virtual worlds

to enhance the language learning process.


• LanguageLab: Learn English online in

Second Life.

• TESOL Electronic Village Online (EVO): A

professional development project and virtual

extension of the TESOL Convention. TESOL

EVO offers workshops on teaching in Second

Life.


• Language teachers are discovering a variety of

different ways in which Second Life can be

used in language learning and teaching, for

example:

• Simulations of real

countries

• Scavenger hunts

• Task-based learning

• Language villages

• Virtual classrooms

• Virtual tourism

• Autonomous learning

• Tandem learning

• Voice chat


• Simulations of real countries: There are

many simulations in Second Life that reflect the

physical appearance and culture of real countries.

• Scavenger hunts , the teacher can ask learners

to search for an object that reflects the culture of

a specific country, take a snapshot of it and write

an accompanying textual description either in

their own language or in the language that they

are studying.


• Task-based learning: It is possible to set

up tasks in Second Life that simulate tasks that

could be set up in a real classroom.


• Task-based learning: For example, a class of students could be divided into groups, with each group given the task of setting a small dinner table for invited guests. The students pick up items of food from a large central table and transfer (or rather copy) them to each of the guests' dinner tables. In doing so they learn the names of the items of food, how to understand instructions, use of verbs and prepositions of location and placement, etc. At the same time they also learn SL basics such as how copy and place an item, and use a great deal of language in the process of collaborating with one another.


• WebQuests: Learners develop texts, audios or

podcasts based on their research, part of which is within a virtual world.

• Language villages: The concept of real-life language

villages has been replicated within virtual worlds to create a language immersion environment for language learners in their own country.

• Virtual classrooms: A virtual classroom in SL sets itself

apart from other virtual classrooms in that an ordinary classroom is the place to learn a language whereas the SL virtual classroom is the place to practise a language.


• Virtual tourism: Language learning can take place in public spaces within virtual worlds. This offers greater flexibility with locations and students can choose the locations themselves, which enables a more constructivist approach.

• Autonomous learning: Virtual worlds offer exceptional opportunities for autonomous learning.

• Tandem learning This form of learning involves two people with different native languages working together as a pair in order to help one another to improve their language skills.

• Voice chat: Second Life's current internal voice system has the

added ability to reproduce the effect of distance on voice loudness, so that there is an auditory sense of space amongst users.




