Virtu-ELLE Vocabulary: Evaluating Three Second Language Acquisition VR Games

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) continues to captivate educators across fields with its ability to create a sense of immersion. Its ties to entertainment gaming also position VR to increase learner motivation. These factors and others have prompted scholars to explore VR for applications such as second language acquisition (SLA). This is an early study in a broader series of studies investigating how interactive games can assist in SLA. This paper reports the results of a 72-participant study to evaluate the ability of three VR games to teach Portuguese vocabulary terms. Participants were beginner or non-Portuguese speakers who were able to travel to our lab on campus and play a VR game for 30 minutes. The games are part of a suite of games we have developed specifically for SLA, aiming to enhance the student experience in university language courses through immersive and interactive environments. Our findings indicate that novice learners can gain SLA vocabulary knowledge by playing a VR game, even in an isolated laboratory context. They also suggest that different designs of VR games impact their efficacy.