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Abstract

Recent studies suggest that Second Life (SL) is a useful tool for educational purposes, specifically for the language learning. However, few studies provide data regarding the effect of SL on speaking anxiety of English as foreign language (EFL) learners. Thus, this paper aims at reviewing the studies on the role of SL as a language learning tool on EFL learners’ speaking anxiety levels. In this sense, a certain number of studies on SL as an educational and as a language learning tool were reviewed in the light of anxiety levels of the EFL learners. The studies revealed that SL is a pragmatic tool for language learning activities of EFL learners. Moreover, it was concluded that SL as a language practice environment reduces learners’ anxiety levels. However, the studies conducted so far indicate that there has been a lack of empirical data on the effect of SL on the EFL learners’ speaking anxiety, especially in Turkish EFL learning context

Keywords

• English as a foreign language; speaking anxiety; Second Life

Second Life’ın Konuşma Kaygısına Etkileri Üzerine Bir Alanyazın Taraması

Abstract

Yapılan çalışmalar Second Life adlı çevrimiçi sosyal ortamın özellikle dil öğrenimi olmak üzere eğitime yönelik amaçlar doğrultusunda faydalı bir araç olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Ancak Second Life’ın İngilizceyi yabancı dil olarak öğrenenlerin taşıdıkları konuşma kaygısı üzerindeki etkisi hususunda az sayıda çalışma bulunmaktadır. Bu nedenle, mevcut çalışma Second Life’ın yabancı dil öğrenen öğrencilerin konuşma kaygı düzeyleri üzerinde yapılmış çalışmaları gözden geçirmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Bu bağlamda, Second Life’ı dil öğreniminde kullanılan bir araç olarak inceleyen çalışmalar, İngilizceyi yabancı dil olarak öğrenenler arasında kaygı konusu dikkate alınarak incelenmiştir. Çalışmaların sonuçları, Second Life’ın İngilizceyi yabancı dil olarak öğrenen öğrencilerin dil öğrenme etkinlikleri için faydalı bir araç olduğunu göstermektedir. Ek olarak, çalışmalar, dil öğrenmede Second Life kullanımının öğrencilerde kaygı düzeyini düşürdüğünü de göstermektedir. Buna karşın, günümüze kadar yapılmış çalışmaların temel sınırlılığı, özellikle ülkemizde yabancı dil öğrenme bağlamında Second Life kullanımının yabancı dil kaygısı üzerindeki etkileri açısından deneysel ve betimsel veri sağlamaması olarak vurgulanmaktadır

Keywords

• Yabancı bir dil olarak İngilizce, konuşma kaygısı, Second Life

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