Virtual reality affordances for oral communication in English as a second language classroom: A literature review

Abstract

This paper reviews 34 studies related to oral communication in English as a Second Language through Virtual Reality published from 2015 to 2022. Overall, Virtual Reality affordances, such as immersion, interaction, feedback, and creation, were perceived positively and found to be effective in terms of anxiety, motivation, confidence, cultural awareness, creativity, and willingness to communicate. However, learning effectiveness was still inconclusive, especially in terms of oral fluency. The insignificant learning outcomes were likely caused by greater cognitive load, equity issues, unpleasant experiences, motion sickness, technology challenges, and lack of instructional activities suited to the Virtual Reality environment. Several strategies to address the challenges of current Virtual Reality platforms identified in the literature review were suggested.