Presentation at IATEFL conference in Harrogate, UK which I did with Cristina Palomeque. We looked at the following issues: an overview of the various approaches taken to date in Second Life; some of the advantages (and constraints) of these environments; and principles of good task design in a virtual world context. We will also cite examples of language learning potential in other virtual settings to create a broader 'virtual framework'.

1. Task Design in Virtual Worlds: Towards a Frame of Reference Paul Sweeney Cristina Palomeque 44 th IATEFL Conference: Harrogate 2010

3. Typology of Virtual Worlds S. Warburton (2009) Flexible narrative Social Worlds Simulation Workspace MMPORGs + serious games 3D chat rooms, virtual worlds Reflections of the real 3D realisations of CSCW World of Warcraft Second Life Flight simulator Open Wonderland

6. What do language teachers want out of VW? Free access for learners. (Scott) Flexibility to create content. (Antonella) Flexible environment which is rich and updatable. (Calisto) Has a more mature look than other VW. (Kyle) Networking and learning opps for teachers. (Julie) Variety of locations and content. (Pete) Provides what educators are looking for. (Graham) Well-suited for cooperative learning. (Scott) Full of native speakers. (Kyle and Julie)

7. Example 1: Spanish course Languagelab Hotel

9. Example 2: Quests Robin Hood Quest (British Council)

11. Example 3: Italian soap opera Oscars for the film: il marito della parrucchiera (Antonella Berriolo)

14. www.schome.ac.uk A‘curriculum’ approach From Twining, P. Mistakes we have made Traditional school Group A’s prep work Externally defined Self- determined Curriculum definition Imposed Free choice Curriculum choice Discrete Integrated Dissociated Authentic No control In control De-motivating Motivating

15. CALL principles in task design (Chapelle) QUALITIES QUESTIONS Language learning potential Do task conditions present sufficient opportunity for beneficial focus on form? Learner fit Is the difficulty of the targeted linguistic forms appropriate for the learners to increase their language ability? Is the task appropriate for learners with the characteristics of the intended learners? Meaning focus Is learners’ attention directed primarily toward the meaning of the language? Authenticity Is there a strong correspondence between the CALL task and L2 tasks of interest to learners outside the classroom? Impact Will learners learn more about the TL and about strategies for language learning through the use of the task? Practicality Are hardware, software and personnel resources sufficient to allow the CALL task to succeed?

16. Principles in MUVE task design QUALITIES QUESTIONS Language learning potential Do task conditions have a communicative potential? Learner fit Is there a balance between task feasibility and challenge? / is there appropriate scaffolding? Is the task technically feasible for a student who is not proficient in a VW? Meaning focus Is learners’ attention directed primarily toward the meaning of the language? / Does that task make sense in the environment? Is the task engaging, and challenging enough for the language to become secondary? Authenticity within the MUVE environment Is the task embedded in the MUVE environment? Is it immersive? Is it cognitively authentic? (Scott Grant) Impact Will learners get a positive experience from the MUVE task?/ Will learners feel the MUVE experience is worthwhile? Practicality Does your school meet the technical requirements needed? Does the task take longer to set up than actually carry out the task?

19. List of interviewees Name Institution Web address & contact James T Abraham / Calisto Encinal (SL) Glendale Community College, University of Arizona Mi Casa Es Su Casa http://calistoencinal.spaces.live.com/ http://slurl.com/secondlife/GCCAz/73/79/24 [email_address] Antonella Berriolo / anna Begonia (SL) Istituto Italiano, Barcelona, Spain. http://italianiamo.wordpress.com Scott Grant Xilin Yifu (SL) School of Asian Languages and Studies, Monash University Australia http://arts.monash.edu.au/chinese/staff/sgrant.php Kyle Mawer British Council, Barcelona, Spain http://kylemawer.wikispaces.com/ http://digitalplay.info/blog/ Pete MacKichan/ Pete McConachie (SL) Freelance [email_address] Wlodzimierz Sobkowiak - Wlodek Barbosa (SL) School of English, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland. http://ifa.amu.edu.pl/~swlodek/research.html Graham Stanley British Council & Turismo Sant Ignasi ESADE Escuela de Turismo, Universitat de Ramon Lul Barcelona, Spain [email_address] http://digitalplay.info/blog/ Julie Watson Centre for Language Study Modern Languages School of Humanities University of Southampton UK http://www.elanguages.ac.uk/secondlife/index.html [email_address]