Download Full PDF

Naiyi Xie Fincham

University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, USA

 

Leeseul Park

University of Georgia, Athens, USA

 

Abstract

Immersive virtual reality (IVR) has the potential to foster L2 speaking development by simulating communication, enabling embodied practice, and delivering multimodal feedback. This study investigates how a commercial IVR application supports public speaking practice in the target language when app-generated feedback is paired with instructor facilitation. Intermediate-high Korean learners in a pre-capstone course used IVR to rehearse speeches for a public speaking contest. The app offered real-time feedback and performance analytics, while the instructor provided guidance informed by these analytics and their own observation. Drawing on pre/post surveys, IVR session recordings, and exit interviews, we analyze changes in learners’ confidence, skill growth, and engagement with multimodal and multisource feedback. Framed by Activity Theory, our findings illustrate how VR simulations, when combined with tailored personalized feedback, cultivate holistic public speaking skills and surface implementation challenges. The study provides empirical insights into how a commercial IVR application can be pedagogically integrated in language education and offers design implications for building engaging, data-informed learning environments that provide individualized support for L2 speaking development.

 

Keywords

Multimodal feedback, public speaking skills, virtual reality, learner analytics, activity theory