Week 3 - Language Education in Second Life

Week 3: Jan 25 - Jan 31

Overview

This week will be spent visiting areas in SL where different languages are spoken. This will include Real Life places that are represented in SL as well as places where languages are taught. The overall aim is for everyone to have an initial idea of how SL can be used / is being used for language learning, teaching and practice both informally and formally.

There will be guided tours of some RL places in SL where we will try some language activities. Then, you will be given a list of LMs (landmarks) to more such places, which you can explore in your own time. We will visit the British Council Isles and find out about their work in SL. There will also be a tour of an interactive Mexican town, which is a nice example of how learners can interact with scripted objects in SL. We will also try to arrange a tour of Ciudad Bonita, a Spanish town in a SL-only language school.

All of these places can be used in a synchronous formal session with a teacher but also informally by students, who can practise their language skills and learn vocabulary on their own.

Learning outcomes 

By the end of this week, you should:

• have visited some of the suggested places where different languages are being spoken / taught in Second Life
• have reflected on your visits in a blog post in our Ning group
• be aware of how Second Life can be used by language learners for language practice
• have started to become comfortable with the Second Life interface and with its communication tools 
• have participated in the forum discussion for this week.

SL skills required 

• Movement controls
• Camera controls
• Teleporting & Landmarks
• Navigation: Mini Map, World Map
• Communication in public text/voice chat and group text/voice chat. 

Activities 

1. Select some of the Real Life places in SL from the map or list below (or from the Webheads HQ in Second Life) and visit them. If possible, do this in pairs or form a small group. There are also some organised tours during the week (check out the events for this week). Take snapshots and post them to our Ning group or Flickr group. Write your reflections in a blog post or in the week three forum.
2.  Attend one of the scheduled guided tours to places where languages are taught. As a preparation, you can watch some of the videos in the "Optional Reading/Viewing" section below.  Post your reflections to our Ning group.

Resources

This is a map with a (complete) overview of real life places in Second Life. Click on the image to go to the original website.

There, you can click the pins to get to the SLURL page and teleport.

There is also a list of landmarks at the Webheads in Action HQ in Second Life (click on the Week 4 Activities poster) . ---> picture on SLURL needs updating.

Here are some suggestions: 

How it works: Click the link. A new browser will open with the Slurl. Click teleport. NB: you need to be signed in to SL for it to work.

• SL Berlin
• Polish Community
• SL Dublin
• SL Moscow
• SL Great Wall of China
• SL Barcelona
• SL Mexico
• SL Ancient Rome
• SL Paris
• SL Morocco
• Virtual Makkah

 Copy of notecard with suggested language learning activities: RL in SL Language Activities 

Optional Readings/Viewings

• A video tour of Mi Casa Es Su Casa (Mexican Town)
• An advanced Spanish class in SL (video).
• Places to practise different languages
• Stories from Second Life: Language Lab