Investigating Socio Pragmatic Competence Development within Immersive Metaverse Based Language Learning Environments

Abstract

With the advancement of immersive technologies, the Metaverse has made substantial contributions to how languages are learned. These technologies create situational environments that facilitate the communication of an enhancement of an individual's linguistic competence. However, the development of an individual's socio-pragmatic competence, which is the ability to utilize language in a socially appropriate manner, has not received a lot of attention. This study aims to analyze the metaverse's immersive approach to facilitating an individual's socio-pragmatic competence. Undergraduate English language learners are the target group of this study. The data were collected by analyzing learners' interactions through documentation and interviews after participants completed the interventions. The metaverse platform provided participants with a unique social experience through the use of avatars, enabling them to engage in social linguistic interactions and exchanges. The data indicated that the learners were remarkably more aware of the linguistic functions of politeness, turn-taking, and appropriate language. The metaverse enhanced the learner's socio-pragmatic competence, thereby reducing anxiety about communication and fostering more natural patterns of communication. The study suggests that the use of metaverse technologies in an immersive language-learning approach should become more common in language-learning environments. The metaverse should be used to support language learning, helping learners develop proficiency in the target language more effectively. The study aims to help educators understand the importance of metaverse technologies in creating adaptable learning environments that foster positive learning outcomes.