Effects of Virtual Environments on the Development of Speaking Fluency

Abstract

Oral fluency is a fundamental aspect of language learning, as it is a key skill within communicative competence. This ability directly influences the success of verbal interaction, which is the reason why its development should be a priority in learning a language. This research synthesis presents a systematic review of the existing literature on the impact of virtual environments (VEs) in English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms, and the perspectives of both, teachers and students about this modality using the methodology of reading, analyzing, and recognizing patterns in English speaking skills development. This study selected a total of 20 studies under the criteria of including empirical studies with a quantitative, qualitative, or mixed approach, written during the last 15 years, that were written in English, that analyzed EFL in VEs, and that presented the influence of VEs on speaking fluency. Likewise, the exclusion criteria left out studies that gave importance to the gender of participants, the country where the study was carried out, and the English proficiency level of the participants. The research synthesis aimed to analyze the impact of VEs on the development of oral fluency, the advantages and disadvantages of using VEs in EFL, and the perceptions of EFL students and teachers on the use of VEs. This analysis determined as a main finding that virtual environments favor oral fluency practice because of their unique characteristics.