For language learners situated in contexts where there is limited exposure to the target language, an authentic learning environment is important. Virtual Reality (VR) has been increasingly used in education to simulate realistic scenarios; however, little is known about whether VR can enhance the nature of authentic learning for learners of…

While traditional English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms often lack context and authenticity, immersive virtual reality (iVR) provides a valuable alternative opportunity to practice and acquire the target language in a replica of the real world. The present study used iVR ("Immerse") for communicative tasks and investigated how…

This study investigated negotiations for meaning as conditions for second language (L2) learning in the context of a massively multiplayer online role-playing game, World of Warcraft (WoW) (Blizzard Entertainment, 2004). Varonis and Gass's (1985) and Smith's (2003a) models were used to identify negotiation episodes during on-task and off-task…

A prescribed English language textbook often directs classroom teaching practices in secondary school classes in EFL contexts, such as in South Korea. The textbook is often accompanied by multimedia resources which are delivered to students as input at a regulated pace with limited opportunities for communicative interaction or spoken output. Such…

This research aims to examine students' perceptions of the benefits and constraints of using Virtual Interpreting Practice (VIP), a mobile-based virtual reality application for bi-directional English/Chinese consecutive and sight interpreting learning that was developed within the project. Thirty-one Chinese university students participated in an…

The Linguistic Landscape (LL) is a relatively new field which draws from several disciplines such as applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, anthropology, sociology, psychology, and cultural geography. According to Landry and Bourhis (1997),"the language of public road signs, advertising billboards, street names, place names, commercial shop…

This activity report describes two cases of Language teaching for degree students in the University of Oulu with new pedagogical approaches aiming towards authentic working life skills. Co-creation, collaborative learning and cooperation across borders are the building blocks for these innovative language teaching projects. Case 1 describes…

The past decade has been marked by a shift toward practice-based approaches in teacher education. Rehearsal has become an important dialogic strategy for encouraging candidate reflection as they work toward deconstructing and enacting high leverage practices (HLPs) during their preparation. Despite the frequent reference to rehearsals in the…