What is an Immersive Language Learning Experience in SL and where can I find one?

This week's post in an attempt at an answer for all those that asked...

'Hermeneutics is part of what Don Lavoie at George Mason University's Program on Social and Organisational Learning refers to as ‘interpretive approaches’. That is, a dialogue based approach that seeks ever greater understanding, in a social context, by entering conversation for the purpose of exploring.' Quoted from: Michael McMaster 1996 – Electronic Communication

‘When other people are also interacting in the same space at the same time, as in today’s massively multi-user environments, friendships, communities, and even societies and cultures can emerge, and the overall effect can become analogous to or an extension of experiences participants have in real world.'

‘Cultural mores and expectations can be very sophisticated, and socialization very much involves the learning processes of observation, reflection, and assimilation. ’
Lawrence F Johnson and Alan H Levine http://immersiveeducation.org/library/Immersive_Learning-Johnson_and_Levine.pdf

Languages are best learned in immersive environments where the learner has to use all the key language skills on a daily basis – they are surrounded by their target language. Many people think whole environments have to be constructed in SL to facilitate immersive learning, but there are many locations that enable speech, listening and reading to happen in a live and spontaneous way. As Johnson and Levine put it, communication is in 3D using texture, form, sight and sound. Virtual worlds encourage rich expression through tools, objects, video, images and demonstrations, as well as art, music, exhibitions and sculpture.

Many sims are focussed on particular language groups, for instance Parioli for Italian and Barcelona for Spanish. 'Though it’s possible to hear Russian, German, Japanese, Korean, and Portuguese to name but a few. There are sims dedicated to particular cultural goals, such as Virtual Morocco which aims to promote an understanding of Arab/Muslim culture. You might also find yourself suddenly in a multilingual place with a babble of different languages being spoken all around you.

After many hours of exploring SL, I have found many places that facilitate cultural immersion. There are French cafes, Italian Pizzerias, Russian shipyards, Swedish country homes. There are the New Wonders of the World such as Chichen Itza, opera houses, fantasy themes, outer space and nature all of which promote conversation and creative language skills.

For small groups of autonomous learners, simply exploring the Metaverse and communicating using their chosen language can be the most effective thing. Spontaneity is a key aspect of language acquisition, and unexpected sights and sounds can encourage the further development of grammar, vocabulary, verbs and so forth. Chat and IM enable learners to use learning support such as verb engines, translation tools, dictionaries in their web browers or translaters such as Babbler in world - in a live environment that promotes intercultural understanding. Kate Borthwick and Ann Jeffery, 2007, http://preview.tinyurl.com/2wb8jk
Piccolo Mondo: Virtual worlds for language learning: a look at Second Life

However, you can never dispense of the teacher. The teacher can offer a curriculum to ensure continued progression of language skills, and can identify where other learning support is needed for difficult areas.