INTERACTION
AND LANGUAGE
Cristina Palomeque
LEARNING IN
Joan-Tomàs Pujolà 3D VIRTUAL
Mª Ángeles García WORLDS

contents
• Transcription
• MUVEs & method
Language learning • 3 language
• Defining concepts learning situations
• Our project • Conclusions

3D muves
Multimodal communication
Immersive experience
Social dimension
Interaction: environment, objects,

senses
sense of presence
sense of authenticity
sense of immersiveness
sense of creativity
sense of gaming

muves
encourage
experimenting reduce
tensions
can develop
critical offer a new way
thinking of exploring
language and
reality
Languagelab.com
are fun
language learning

defining concepts
• interaction (n) –
interactional (adj)
• interactivity (n) –
interactive (adj)
• interact (v)

channels
Written
– instant message (IM)
– local chat
synchonous
– notecard asynchronous
Oral multitasking
– voice call
automatism
– voice chat

research
• What type of interaction can be observed
in a learning-teaching context in a muve?

research context
• Second Life
• Languagelab.com
• Formal & ‘Informal’ learning
• Spanish / English FL
• Teachers & actors
• Students

learning dynamics
Formal learning
• T – S – (H)
• S–S
Languagelab.com
“Informal” learning
• S–A

research
methodology
Transcripts
Screen-recordings • Macro –
Questionnaires sequence map
• Micro –
Interviews magnifying glass

transcription levels
• Macro level (sequence map)
Session
• Micro level (magnifying glass)

multimodal transcription
- 43:30 – 47:50
- Scene description: park next to the
church. In the background a floating
Tick Tak Toe panel and a church can
be seen.
- Pedagogical description: students
and helper have speech bubbles with
pictures of food. T does not have
them
- Participants: teacher (T), helper (H)
and 3 students: Punka (Pu), Tonio
(To) y Elena (E). Participants are in a
circle on the grass.

multimodal transcription
T TU S R CH TEXT NON- VISUALS INTERFACE
R VERBAL
N ACTIVITY
44:03 12 T To Oral <a> Perfecto <b> T <a> Apareix <c> lleuger
Clase Ahora vamos a hacer una pequeña encuesta para s’apropa carn sobre To movement de
H el resto de la clase. <b> Quiero q cada persona als Stds <f> Apareix camera per
pregunte a cada persona de la clase <c> si les <g> T peix sobre el enfocar tothom
gusta lo que <d> tenéis encima de la cabeza. Por s’apropa a cap de P <d> T obre
ejemplo, <e> yo tengo pescado con verduras. <f>
D l’inventari
Pues me voy a Daf <g> y le digo ‘Daf, te gusta el
pescado con verduras? <e> T
selecciona un
objecte
44:35 13 A T Oral Sí, me gusta el pescado con verduras
44:36 14 T H Oral Muy bien <a> T <b> lleuger
Pu Ahora voy a Pu a) y digo, ‘Pu, b) te gusta el s’apropa a movement de
pescado con verduras?’ T i es posa càmera
al davant
44:41 15 Pu T Oral Sí, me gusta pescado a) con verduras <a> lleuger
movement de
càmera

situation 1 – T-S

description of situation 1
• Teachers’ role:
teacher-centered (directive teacher)
helper (≠ levels of intrusiveness)
• T prepares task (tech info) – in English
• T checks sts’ comprehension of technicalities
• T gives instructions of the task with H / Sts listen
• T models with helper
• T then with student: T-S drills (T/H feedback)
• S - S drills (T/H feedback)
• Plenary – wrap-up of activity

comments
• Class-without-room
• Multimodal interaction: oral interaction with a comic-like
interactivity – gaming element
• Teacher controls interaction (1:1) and interactivity
• Time spent on technical problems
• Teacher’s talking time (TTT) > Sts’ TT
• Helper – high intrusiveness
• Teacher language samples are artificial / formulaic
language (far from spontaneous language – actual
language / communication strategies)

situation 2 – S-S

description of situation 2
• Helper directs Sts to restaurant
• Sts put a scrambled dialogue in order
(oral group interaction)
• Teacher feedback
• Sts write a similar dialogue in groups
(private IM)
• Sts act out the dialogue
• Teacher feedback

comments
• Multimodality – LC (board) + T IM (classroom
management)
• Collaborative writing process invisible to the T
• Only 1 point of view – implications for research
• Time spent on technical problems
• Less teacher-talking time
• 1 St assumes T’s role (interactivity manager)
• T + H explain technical problems (in English) – T
takes control back
• Code-switching –
– Procedural language – in English
– Target language – in Spanish

situation 3 – S-A

description of situation 3
• Students and actor discuss about a crime
• Actor guides Students to the clues
• Students simulate a conversation between
a shop assistant and a detective

comments
• multimodality – LC (board) and IM (classroom
management)
• interactivity with environment (pointing at
objects)
• “informal” learning – different locus of control
• peer-2-peer interaction
• less hierarchical
• actor’s role: involves all participants, offers new
input when needed, motivates and encourages
interaction
• observer participant

conclusions
• Affordance: need to
explore full potential
• Multimodality –
aural/written/images Interaction in
• Multi-tasking interaction MUVE language
• Two curves to overcome: learning contexts
– Steep technical learning
curve
– Language learning curve
• Need to provide prosumers
with digital wisdom

Cristina Palomeque
cristina.palomeque@gmail.com
Joan-Tomàs Pujolà
jtpujola@ub.edu
Mª Ángeles García
garciaasensio@ub.edu