⎯ RQ1: To what extent does the use of Frame VR reduce foreign language speaking anxiety in online MFL learners compared to traditional video conferencing?
⎯ RQ2: How does the immersive environment of Frame VR influence the ability to sustain a conversation of school-aged MFL pupils?
⎯ RQ3: How do online MFL students perceive the immersive, real-life conversation scenarios in Frame VR?
Rationale
In online synchronous education, Modern Foreign Language (MFL) pupils often face significant anxiety due to “camera-on” safeguarding requirements, where being visible and audible to peers creates heightened self-awareness. This “affective filter”, so defined by Krashen (1982), frequently limits oral participation and fluency, particularly for students who have chosen online schooling due to mental health concerns or neurodivergence. While research confirms Virtual Reality’s (VR) efficacy in higher education, there is a gap in understanding its impact on school-aged learners in synchronous digital settings. This project investigates whether the psychological distance provided by avatar-mediated interaction in Frame VR can reduce anxiety and improve communicative competence.
Method
Grounded in a social constructivist framework and the Zone of Proximal Development (Vygotsky, 1978), this study employs a concurrent triangulation mixed-methods design. A purposive sample of 25–30 MFL pupils will undergo an eleven-week intervention using Frame VR. Quantitative data will be gathered through a quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test model, measuring oral fluency via speech rate and mean length of run, alongside Likert-scale surveys on confidence. Qualitatively, student diaries and semi-structured focus groups will explore subjective perceptions of “presence” and psychological safety within the 3D environment. Frame VR was specifically selected as a browser-based tool to ensure inclusivity and avoid the “digital divide” of expensive hardware.
Expected Results
The research expects to find that the anonymity afforded by avatars significantly lowers the affective filter, leading to a measurable reduction in foreign language speaking anxiety compared to traditional video conferencing. It is anticipated that the immersive, ecologically
valid scenarios—such as navigating a virtual marketplace or cafe— will reduce extraneous cognitive load, allowing students to produce more fluid, automated speech with fewer filled pauses.
Conclusions
The findings will provide valuable insights into adapting VR technology to support the emotional well-being and linguistic development of online learners. By demonstrating how immersive tools can replicate the benefits of offline interaction while maintaining the flexibility of online access, this study aims to offer a scalable model for MFL curriculum innovation that prepares students for real-world communication.
References
● Krashen, S.D. (1982) Principles and practice in second language acquisition. Available at: https://www.sdkrashen.com/content/books/principles_and_practice.pdf
● Vygotsky, L.S. (1978) Mind in society: the development of higher psychological processes. Available at: https://autismusberatung.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Vygotsky-Mind-in-society.pdf
4 responses to “Lowering the Affective Filter: A Mixed-Methods Study into the Impact of Immersive 3D Environments on the Speaking Confidence of Online MFL Pupils”
Hi Irene, it looks like we’re interested in similar areas of research 🙂 I was wondering what data you would be using to compare your intervention results to; would your MFL learners have previously used video conferencing for learning, or would you have a control group? Also I’d be interested to know what led you to this area of research; I only have experience being a language learner rather than a teacher, so if you’re coming from a language teaching context I’d be keen to know what you think the next steps would be in bringing it to the classroom, and what barriers you foresee based on your experience.
Hi Zoe!
I am a language teacher and my students are used to online education – our school is fully online and we use Google meet for the lessons so the students will be used to that. Some of them also have some experience with the VR platform as it has been used before in our school. I did end up adding a control group to my proposal, mostly to counter the teacher and platform variables.
The main barrier would be in a traditional setting as students may not be as used or skilled with technology or may not have access to suitable devices.
My premises are strongly based of what I have experience teaching primary and secondary online, and noticing how being visible on camera at all time and having the attention of their peers so evidently, have affected the confidence of many of my students.
Hi Irene,
Thank you for a very interesting presentation. I have a background in EFL and MFL teaching so all of this hit very close to home.
I was not familiar with the Affective Filter theory, but it makes perfect sense judging from experience!
Couple of questions:
1. Were you able to find any studies contextualising the Affective Filter in the online learning environment (I assume the original theory referred to face-to-face learning)? If not, was it your own conclusion that seeing themselves on camera was the factor that elevated the filter for your students?
2. If you’ve already started experimenting with the VR platform, have you noticed the children using the same avatar consistently? If so, where will that leave anonymity? Do you think that with consistent use, children will just become more confident altogether?
And finally a comment, that maybe this kind of approach could help MFL in general (not just online) by providing that contextual immersion that is so helpful to language learning.
Well done!
Hi Marta, first of all thank you for your comment!
To answer your first question, I have found some studies regarding higher education but nothing in regard to primary or secondary students, which are the age group I teach. It’s not just seeing themselves but also being able to see everyone else so clearly and with what feels like a sense of no escape.
Regarding Frame Be, it has been use in our school before and I started experimenting with it a bit myself. The students love to personalise their avatar and often change details or little aspects but mostly keep them consistent. The point of the avatar is not make them anonymous but more to remove some of the pressure and anxiety cause by being ‘extra- visible’. If we thing about face-to-face interactions, we are not able to see ourselves when speaking and we’re also not able to focus on every micro expression of the group of people we’re talking to. So the avatar remove this from the equation. In terms of data, students won’t be using their name on the platform and the recording will be audio only, all students avatars name made anonymous to the researchers.
I agree with your final comment, language acquisition is very challenging without full immersion, and I believe VR could be an amazing resource and starting point to provide this contextual immersion in every type of classroom.