IMPROVING AZERI EFL SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ PRONUNCIATION THROUGH A VIRTUAL REALITY GAME MANAGED BY A HUMANOID ROBOT

Abstract

Key words: Virtual Reality Game, pronunciation practice, EFL learners Chapter one Introduction Learning a second language is not an easy undertaking and requires effective planning and instruction competencies. Most students learning English as their second language usually encounter different challenges in the course of developing proficiency. Such complexities are evident in different elements of the English language which are difficult to comprehend like understanding the consonants and how they are used among other related complexities. Given the global influence of English, many people who are not native speakers have continuously been struggling to develop proficiency as well as fluency in this language. However, this undertaking is challenging and in frequent cases, most learners will be demotivated and discontinue their English studies. In countries like Azerbaijan, for instance, there is a large and aggressively growing number of English learners in different levels of education, especially secondary schools. Although in different secondary schools in Azerbaijan English is usually taught as a subject, it has been very difficult for the students to comprehend some of the basic elements of the language especially consonants. This situation presents a crucial opportunity for effective designing of instructional designs in EFL lessons to boost the proficiency of learners in this particular field of study. Effective utilization of different technologies including virtual reality can create an advanced and quality learning environment for the EFL students ideal for easy mastery of the English language.