1. Serious Games for Situated Learning of
Vehicular Languages AddressingWork
Needs
H.Tsalapatas, O. Heidmann, R.Alimisi, E. Houstis
Life Long Learning KA2 Project:530951-LLP-1-2012-1-GR-KA2-KA2MP

2. The consortium
University of Thessaly (Coordinator)
Center for Research& Technology Hellas
European Welding Federation
Universita degli Studi Gulielmo Marconi
Tallinn University
HiST Contract Research

3. The idea 1/2
 Individuals are often called to communicate in a foreign
language in cultural settings that diverge significantly from
their own and from one country to another.
 To meet work objectives, professionals rely on vehicular
languages
 English, German, or French.

4. The idea 2/2
 Existing professional training programs strive to bring
language competency to working levels, but many fail to
address the diverging use of a “lingua franca”
 Upgrading training practices is important in order to
keep pace with the changing career context and rapidly
evolving labour-market (Cedefop, 2009)
Cedefop. (2009) ‘Continuity, consolidation and change.Towards a European era of vocational education and training’.
Cedefop Reference series; 73 Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.

5. Pivotal Question
How can we promote professional language skill building
addressing the diverging use of a “lingua franca” with its
own variations, specific localized expressions and
communication norms ?

6. siLang objectives
The project will improve efficiency in business communication,
competitiveness and employability, by implementing:
 A situated mobile-enabled serious game for language learning
on business communication
 Adaptable learning activities immersing learners into rich,
cultural work-related experiences
 Good practices on deployment, targeting trainers.
Target groups: professionals, vocational workers and higher education
students

7. Core siLang methodologies
 Situated Learning
«meaningful learning experiences can occur when ‘students’ are
enculturated into authentic practices through activity and social
interaction»
Brown, Collins and Duguid (1989)
 Game-based learning
 Serious gaming approaches
 Role- playing practices and ‘narrative immersion’
Brown, J. S., Collins,A. and Duguid, P. (1989). Situated cognition and the culture of learning. Educational
Researcher,Vol. 18, No. 1, pp. 32-42

8. The siLang process
Analysis of
current
status quo in
professional
language
learning
Identify the
issues non-
natives
encounter in
English
Identify cultural
aspects/ local
peculiarities
Implement
‘foldback’ stories
that address the
issues that were
identified
Implement those
stories in the
siLang software

9. siLang ‘foldback stories’
 Narrative immersion: acting inside a story
 A story consists of realistic language scenes/situations
that expose the user to a certain work-related language
task.
 i.e communication in international settings, presenting ideas
during a meeting, greetings, scheduling etc.
 Once a task is completed another scene ‘unlocks’ and the
plot unfolds.
 A central ‘hub’ is used to set ‘plot-critical situations’ that
the learner cannot ignore or alter.

10. Fold-back stories- Prototyping

11. The siLang serious game
Main characteristics:
o Situated adaptable
o Portable
o Touch-screen
interfaces
o Traditional Internet
access
o Mobile access
Transfer effects tackled:
◦ Syntax
◦ Basic vocabulary and
expression repertory
◦ Basic communication in
business
◦ Practicing verbal
communication

12. Foreseen outcomes
 the situated serious
game for language
learning on business
communication
 learning activities that
immerse learners into
rich cultural and work
related experiences
 good practices on
deployment targeting
trainers
 web2.0 services for
online communication
 learning
requirements/method
ologies reports and
status quo analysis

13. Validation sites and activities
 Where?
 Greece, Norway, Estonia,
Italy, Portugal
 With whom?
 Learners: professionals,
vocational workers, higher
education students
 Trainers
 How?
 Validation activities will
take place in an on-going
manner following the
‘teaching experiments’
methodology.

14. Find siLang online at: http://si-lang.net
University ofThessaly (Coordinator)
Center for Research&Technology Hellas
EuropeanWelding Federation
Universita degli Studi Gulielmo Marconi
Tallinn University
HiST Contract Research
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.This communication reflects
the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be
made of the information contained therein.