This document discusses using the virtual world of Second Life to help teach English pronunciation, intonation patterns, and basic conversational skills to ESL students. It outlines the learning outcomes and vocabulary topics covered in an EAP course. Students would progress through scaffolding assignments of individually creating avatars, practicing directions, and finally collaborating to create a vacation movie using the language. Some challenges are the technical aspects, while benefits include providing an immersive context for communication practice and student investment in their virtual identity.

1. USING SECONDLIFE IN ESL
 EAP (English for Academic Purposes) 89:
Conversation & Pronunciation, Level One
Course Learning Outcomes:
1. Pronunciation of specific sounds in English
2. Production of basic English intonation patterns
(statement, yes/no questions, WH-question)
3. Use of spoken English for conversational
purposes
4. Comprehension of spoken English in basic
conversations

2. SCAFFOLDING LEVELS OF LEARNING
Evaluation
Analysis
Application

3. KNOWLEDGE
 Recall learned language for specific situations
Lexical Domains Covered by Textbook:
Greetings
Describing people, places, clothing, buildings
Giving directions
Taking a vacation
Going shopping

4. APPLICATION
 Apply newly-acquired vocabulary to
communicative task

5. ANALYSIS
 Select and gather information for narrative
 Negotiate choices to achieve common goal

6. EVALUATION
 Interpret what is going on inworld

7. SCAFFOLDING ASSIGNMENTS
2: Individuals
make and
narrate a movie
(live)
3: Group
1: Create and practices giving
describe avatar and following
(live) directions
(inworld)
Final project:
vacation
movie with
partner
(inworld)

8. CHALLENGES WITH ESL in SL
 Creating an account (reading the
confirmation text)
 Sound (doesn’t always work inworld—be
prepared to use chat function or “real world”
interaction in connection with SL
 Proximity (seat students apart from one
another so that they must communicate
inworld)

9. BENEFITS OF SL FOR ESL
 “Communicative urgency”
 Context for application of vocabulary and
grammar
 Student-generated material for transcription
and evaluation (both self- and teacher
evaluation)
 Investment and identity (the Naked Avatar)