The emergence of the Metaverse, supported by innovative technologies, especially extended reality, has opened up new possibilities for various fields of education. Some disciplines like STEM have already derived significant benefits from the immersive, interactive, and authentic learning opportunities afforded by the Metaverse. In contrast, only…

Virtual Reality (VR) offers language learners a valuable environment for practicing language skills and other aspects essential for language development, interaction, and negotiation of meaning. For example, speaking practice in VR using avatars can reduce speaking anxiety and increase users' sense of agency. Social spaces in VR present…

Immersive virtual reality (iVR) is a novel form of computer technology that promises to transform not only the delivery of language and cultural instruction but also how students produce language. The existing, yet limited, scholarship on the applications of iVR in the language classroom suggests affective and cultural benefits (e.g., increased…

This paper is part 5 of a series of workshops that examines the properties of some simple models of vocabulary networks. While previous workshops dealt with activating words in the network, this workshop focuses on vocabulary loss. We will simulate two possible ways of modelling attrition: (a) explicitly turning active words OFF, and (b) raising…

The use of Extended Reality technologies in education, and especially in language learning, has attracted the interest of language experts for the last 15 years. However, the recent technological progress as well as the simultaneous dramatic reduction of the cost of the necessary hardware has led to an impressive growth of the XR market, creating,…

This paper considers the opportunities and challenges posed to formal second language education given the penetration of digital technologies in young people's daily lives. This paper broadly discusses the issues of information technology (IT) infrastructure, classroom management and IT use restrictions in relations to language learning. The paper…

Generative AI offers significant opportunities for language learning. Tools like ChatGPT provide second language practice through chats in written or voice formats, with the learner specifying through prompts conversational parameters. AI can be instructed to give corrective feedback and create practice exercises. Using AI, instructors can build…

The formation of hypertext competence emerges from a combination of methods, tools and technologies that provide communication between hypertext network devices with the aim of transmitting information. The information transmitted may be diverse depending on its type and content and is intended to be used collectively through network information…

Augmented Reality (AR) bridges the real and the digital. It is part of the Extended Reality (XR) spectrum of immersive technological interfaces. At one end of the continuum, Virtual Reality (VR) immerses users in fully digital simulations which effectively substitute for the real world. At the other end of the continuum, AR allows users to remain…

This article explores relevant conceptual frameworks and design principles for the planning and implementation of a virtual reality (VR) learning environment in English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts. The primary focus is on what knowledge teachers need to acquire when designing and implementing a spherical video-based training world that…

Although the Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MA TESOL) practicum course is meant to initiate preservice teachers (PSTs) into the TESOL profession, it is not uncommon for PSTs to feel a high level of stress as they prepare to teach their first solo lesson. This article proposes the implementation of mixed-reality…

The use of augmented reality (AR) in teaching English as a second language is examined in this article. Traditional language teaching techniques sometimes fall short of engaging students and offering real-world applications, which results in boredom and slow development. Through the use of augmented reality (AR) technology, digital content can be…

In this commentary, we describe the English language placement adaptations we were required to make due to the world-wide COVID-19 pandemic. It includes a brief description of our placement test battery which was adapted to address our institution's move to a remote teaching/learning mode. A discussion of the major challenges we experienced, their…

In line with the 2021 CALICO Conference theme "Global realities," we presented a plenary on how immersive virtual reality (IVR) could be used for second language learning by allowing learners to virtually travel around the globe via headset. The main affordances of virtual reality (VR) technology include immersing learners in an…

Virtual reality (VR) has garnered increasing attention as a pedagogical tool for language learning. Yet, despite the many affordances of using virtual reality learning environments (VRLEs), there remains a paucity of research investigating the use of VRLEs for English for academic purposes (EAP). While BALEAP '19 conference presentations related…