She’s not a real avatar?
She’s not a real avatar?
Learning without teachers in
virtual reality
Learning without teachers in virtual reality

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An Informal learning program

...Language learning in isolation is
impossible. Computers, books and
television can provide practice,
explanations, a few rules or vocabulary
items, but only human beings can add
the ingredients that make language
something more than a limited stagnant
code...
Susan Schaller - A man without words

Why is language taught in a classroom?
Convenience
Tradition
Resources
Student expectations
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Where else can language be learned?

Functional
characters
The big bang
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Millie Eames - Café Manager QuickTime™ and a
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Age: 48
Appearance: Millie looks her age. She dresses Laura Ashley and struggles with her weight.
Demeanor: Millie is warm, caring, and motherly.
Functional/occupational attribute: Millie owns and manages the café, Conversations.
Objectives: Millie is always working to get more customers.
She really wants her café to be a special place for her customers.
She wants them to feel comfortable and to think of the conversation café as their
‘home away from home’.
Interests/hobbies/expertise: Millie has a passion for travel, but as an arm chair traveler
She has never been on a plane or more than a 3 hour drive. She reads all sorts of
travel magazines and books and is constantly planning her next big trip.
Millie loves to talk about the weather and has been ‘studying’ meteorology of late.
Never at a loss to share her recipes, Millie is a baker extraordinaire.
Personal/Family: Millie has 2 children: Tommy (her sunshine) and Sarah.
Tommy is studying meteorology at the University of Hawaii.
Sarah is pre-med at a college an hour away from home.
Narrative: Emotionally, psychologically, and financially, Millie needs her café to be successful.

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Kent Fromund
formally known
as Johnathon
Shellman
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Griffin Morrisey

Judith
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Student’s reactions
• Plots and backstories - some negatives
and positives
• The ‘wow’ factor
• Friendliness and professionalism

Activities created by the actors
Actor created activities
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• Lack of ‘teacher like’ skills in the actors
• Mixed levels and the technological
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• The schedule and student expectations

Activity criteria
• Clear statements of skills to be
practiced
• Clear contextual areas
• Adaptable and recyclable content
• Level appropriate content

Functional characters
Recyclable activities
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The big bang
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Backstories and plots
Actor created activities

Success factors
• ‘Total immersion’ without traveling
• Professional and friendly native
speakers
• The ‘wow’ factor
• Avatar helps to overcome shyness and
embarrassment
• Activities

The future of virtual immersion
• Better technology
• Authentic
communities of
language speakers

Contacts and further information
Lowri Mills - City Manager
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Lowrimills@gmail.com
Sally Langer
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SL Salsita Almendros
Sally@languagelab.com
http://www.sallylanger.com

SLanguages 2009
This presentation was given at
SLanguages 2009
The Conference for Language
Education in Virtual Worlds
slanguages.net