Teaching EFL in SL

Wlodek Barbosa

(Virtlantis, the island of Knowingly in Second Life)

Włodzimierz Sobkowiak

(School of English, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland)

Abstract

As Wlodek Barbosa I've been teaching EFL pronunciation in Second Life now for over three years as a free and open service to the community of language students and teachers called Virtlantis, currently located on the island of Knowingly in-world. This is a talk about this experience. I focus on:

More info: http://ifa.amu.edu.pl/~swlodek/Second_Life.html

• The added value of SL in language teachingThe added value of SL in language teaching• The dynamics and social networking of the learner communityThe dynamics and social networking of the learner community

My teachingin SL (1)

• March 21st 2007 - born in SL as Wlodek Barbosa• Started teaching pronunciation regularly in the community on Sep

10th 2008• 133 weekly meetings of [Pronunciation with Wlodek Barbosa] so

far• 166 unique students over the 133 meetings, average students per

meeting: 6.2• Students from all over the world, e.g. German, Israeli, Italian,

Russian, French, Korean, Pakistani, Roumanian, Brazilian, Finnish, UAE, Turkish, and Polish (of course)

• No syllabus, no textbook, no homework

My teachingin SL (2)

• Practically all EFL phonetic areas covered: segments, juncture, prosody, graphophonemics

• Various resources in SL: word-lists, texts, PAVed objects, sound files, problem notecards

• Various resources on 2d web: dictionaries, videos, recordings, charts, animations

• Various techniques: lecture, drill, projects, guided tours, treasure hunts, conversation, pair-work, group-work

• SL community support: in-world group for info notices and IM• 2d web community support: Ning, Elgg, Facebook (blogging,

resources, records)

The added value of SL in language

teaching

Better than

RL

Better than

2d web

Better than RL

AND 2d web ?

Better than2d web (1)

Some examples of added value of SL vis-à-vis 2d web (LMS, VLE such as e.g. Moodle) have been discussed widely:

• immersion, embodied (co-)presence• 3d, holodecks• construction/building• geospacial replicas of RL places• self-creation (avatar persona)

Better than 2d web (2)

Communication outside of the Communication outside of the classroom in-world; Dolce Vita classroom in-world; Dolce Vita in SL on Feb 5th 2011, WB as his in SL on Feb 5th 2011, WB as his female altfemale alt

One_Avatar: salutOne_Avatar: salutOne_Avatar: ca va?One_Avatar: ca va?WB: Ca va, merci :-) Et vous?WB: Ca va, merci :-) Et vous?One_Avatar: merci aussiOne_Avatar: merci aussiOne_Avatar: tu veux dancer ?One_Avatar: tu veux dancer ?WB: Non, merci :-)WB: Non, merci :-)One_Avatar: uhh dommageOne_Avatar: uhh dommageWB: Un autre fois, peut-etre?WB: Un autre fois, peut-etre?One_Avatar: okOne_Avatar: okOne_Avatar: pas problemeOne_Avatar: pas probleme

Better thanRL (1)

Multitasking and multichanneling: environment, visuals, voice chat, text chat, IM (private and group), notecards, profile-reading. This is a pedagogically excellent affordance, making for intense, authentic, immediate communication.

Better thanRL (2)

aaaaaaah, okhm, i`m not sure

oksee you kip, and thank you

thanks :)to call someone?

to leave something, a taxi for example

Example: text chat log of a Virtlantis lesson Example: text chat log of a Virtlantis lesson on phrasal verbs, 13 July 2007; contribution on phrasal verbs, 13 July 2007; contribution of one avatar extracted from chat log and of one avatar extracted from chat log and alphabetized.alphabetized.

Better than RLAND 2d web (1)

Phonetically Augmented Virtuality (PAV) refers to enhancing a 3d virtual world with phonetic information in the form of sound files, text-to-speech synthesis, phonetic transcription, explanatory text, as well as exercises and tasks of all kinds. This phonetic information is built directly into objects in the virtual environment and can be interactively accessed by the student's avatar.

Better than RLAND 2d web (2)

I have presented and discussed PAV in other places:

• Phonetic Affordances of Second Life for EFL, a PresTo presentation on YouTube and on blip.tv

• Phonetically Augmented Virtuality in Second Life (a plenary presentation at the 3rd International Accents Conference in 2009; PowerPoint intro here)

The dynamics and social networking of the learner community

• Fluidity of the student population: regulars, strangers, observers, Fluidity of the student population: regulars, strangers, observers, mutes, trolls, griefers, lost avies, non-humansmutes, trolls, griefers, lost avies, non-humans

• Gartner's hype cycle dynamics of SL; community promotionGartner's hype cycle dynamics of SL; community promotion• The founder, facilitator & spiritus movens : Kip YellowjacketThe founder, facilitator & spiritus movens : Kip Yellowjacket• Environment: various sims in-world and 2d websitesEnvironment: various sims in-world and 2d websites

The pedagogical role of presence/ The pedagogical role of presence/ immersion in the virtual world (1)immersion in the virtual world (1)

The Resident is an individual who lives a The Resident is an individual who lives a percentage of their life online. The web percentage of their life online. The web

supports the projection of their identity and supports the projection of their identity and facilitates relationships. [...]facilitates relationships. [...]

The Visitor is an individual who uses the web The Visitor is an individual who uses the web as a tool in an organised manner whenever as a tool in an organised manner whenever the need arises. [...] They [...] don't feel the the need arises. [...] They [...] don't feel the

need to express themselves by participating in need to express themselves by participating in online culture in the same manner as a online culture in the same manner as a

Resident.Resident.

The pedagogical role of presence/ The pedagogical role of presence/ immersion in the virtual world (2)immersion in the virtual world (2)

If your learners are mainly Visitors, [...] If your learners are mainly Visitors, [...] they are unlikely to blog or comment as they are unlikely to blog or comment as

part of a course. The Resident will expect part of a course. The Resident will expect to have the opportunity to offer opinions to have the opportunity to offer opinions

on topics and to socialise around a on topics and to socialise around a programme of study.programme of study.

David White: Not Digital 'Natives' & David White: Not Digital 'Natives' & 'Immigrants' but 'Visitors' & 'Residents’ 'Immigrants' but 'Visitors' & 'Residents’ (http://oupeltglobalblog.com/2011/06/14/(http://oupeltglobalblog.com/2011/06/14/

not-digital-natives-immigrants-but-not-digital-natives-immigrants-but-visitors-residents/)visitors-residents/)

Virtlantis learner community: resident's reflections

Facebook interview with MZ, an active Virtlantis student of English, native German:the changes of the communitywe followed the learnerswhere they are - on FBwe interact with each otherhelp each other - off the class - online - not ONLY in-worldin posting i discover new vocab...investigate idiomstry to phrase my native language into englishI met there lots of Gleichgesinntepeople who want to learn a languagewe know...we are not always rightthe co-community membersthey are all open mindednot pointing on a mistake or failure

ConclusionsConclusions

The keys to success in foreign language teaching & learning in SL The keys to success in foreign language teaching & learning in SL are:are:

• exploiting of the added value of SL vis-exploiting of the added value of SL vis-àà-vis RL and 2d web-vis RL and 2d web• stimulating immersion, presence, ‘flow’stimulating immersion, presence, ‘flow’• leveraging the learner communityleveraging the learner community

Thank you!