GoStudent has teamed up with Immerse and Meta to launch GoVR, a virtual language learning platform for young people aged 13 to 18. The platform aims to give young language learners a more realistic experience of speaking a foreign language outside of a classroom setting. GoVR offers English lessons with native speakers from Great Britain, and more than 40 virtual locations are available for practice scenarios. The pricing for courses will range between €25 and €27 and will last for 50 minutes each. GoVR is set to launch on June 13 in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, with further countries and languages to be added by the end of 2023 or early 2024.
According to GoStudent, avatars move around the virtual world without legs, but the company is working on the development of a more realistic visual representation. The VR platform can also be accessed via desktop, providing an alternative for users who suffer from motion sickness when wearing VR glasses. The tutors also have access to students’ progress through the desktop platform, enabling them to guide learners better.
Studies suggest that VR-based language learning can improve listening and reading skills, with 98.8% of students surveyed claiming to have improved their English proficiency. An 8.5% increase in English proficiency was recorded after just 200 minutes of tutorial using VR, indicating that virtual learning is more effective than traditional classroom learning.
