Leveraging Virtual Reality to Address Listening Challenges in ESL Learning: A Malaysian Secondary School Perspective

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of Virtual Reality (VR) on the listening comprehension of secondary school students learning English as a Second Language (ESL) in Malaysia. The virtual reality tech in teaching and learning listening skills can overcome these limitations since students has many obstacles on their way to master limited vocabulary, and lack of exposure to the inauthentic language environment. This study involved 30 Form Two students and compared traditional methods of teaching English as a second language (ESL) with virtual reality (VR) methods. Results show the VR group improved on listening comprehension scores, supporting the idea that immersive, interactive VR environments can help ESL learning. The study further investigates student attitudes towards VR in ESL learning, highlighting their positive perceptions and high engagement levels.