Language Lab

Metanomics sponsor Language Lab teaches foreign languages in Second Life. Their novel curriculum uses a staff of instructors and actor to immerse people in a foreign land, where they must use the native tongue in homes, restaurants, dance halls, job interviews and even airports. Hear the story straight from Language Lab’s Managing Director David Kaskel (Edgware Marker in SL).

Find out why Bettina Tizzy of "Not Possible in Real Life" has said "Human Resource departments all over the world will soon be ponying up and sending their corporate executives in droves to Second Life to make use of this brand."

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Without a doubt David Kaskel’s most significant achievement over the past year has been the initial launch of Language Lab. After over two years of research and development and many thousands of hours of student testing, Language Lab opened to its first paying students this summer. From the outset Language Lab has been entirely focussed on creating and delivering a unique approach to language learning bringing together the best of real world teaching and virtual world environments.

The key to Language Lab is life-based learning. Through this approach, students use language in the real life scenarios where they will need it. We apply life-based learning to all aspects of language learning—grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, reading, writing and speaking. For example, instead of talking about what you do on holiday, students book a holiday, check-in at the hotel and go on a tour. Instead of discussing how to act in a business meeting or what to say during a negotiation, students actually make a business presentation or participate in a negotiation.        Language Lab

Language Lab builds "journeys" for their students, essentially classes that walk a student through the specific situations one might confront socially, in school, or in business. With no more than 12 students in any class, and a teacher dedicated to each throughout, Language Lab's business is highly labor intensive. Equally challenging is the diverse make-up of Language Lab's student body. Nearly fifty countries are represented in Language Lab ESL classes.

Languagelab's virtual city in Second Life is just amazing. But it is not only the environment but the teachers and fellow students that make learning English so fun an exciting. And most of all it is amazingly easy to participate: put on your headset, start SL program and you will be in the same "space" with your teacher and the other students within a couple of seconds. The teachers and other Languagelab staff are extremely friendly and helpful, they make the learning situation comfortable and fun.        A Language Lab Student

Unlike most businesses that enter Second Life seeking residents as an audience or consumers, Language Lab has created an effective model where the virtual world serves the needs of a real world group: people needing English language skills. Perhaps 9 out of 10 Language Lab students had never even heard of Second Life before seeking out a language school.

Learning in Language Lab is memorable and effective, realistic and immersive, targeted and informal, collaborative and enabling.        Language Lab

Background Reading and Videos

• Language Lab.
• Technology Review: A Boon to Second Life Language Schools.
• Read about Language Lab at Serious Gaming.
• Vivox Press Release.
• Language Lab's Promotional Video.

Guest Biographies

David Kaskel is CEO of Languagelab. He is a committed advocate of the value of virtual worlds to transform business and communications. He has been deeply involved with Second Life and related platforms for many years, including projects like Theatron, Greenies, and Nowall/Backstage. A graduate of Yale University, David is currently doing doctoral research into language acquisition models in virtual environments at the Centre for Computing in the Humanities at Kings College.

To Attend Metanomics

To attend in the virtual world go to one of our Second Life® Event Partners or watch live on the web with Chatbridge to connect you to the online discussion.