Augmented Reality in Language Learning/Teaching

     Hello everyone! In this blog, i am going to talk about augmented reality (AR). As a beginning, i am going to start with giving some brief information about what AR is and then i am going o explain how we can use it in language learning and teaching.
Augmented reality is a product of technology which enables us to expand our physical environment by adding layers of digital information on it. It actually changes the perception of reality. AR apps makes conncections of digital animation to a special marker. Today, we can find four different types of augmented reality which are markerless, marker-based, projection-based and superimposition-based. AR doesn't create a new environment and replace the real with the virtual one unlike VR. However, it only appears in a view of existing environment by adding images, sounds, videos and graphics to it. You can find the examples of AR in Snapchat lenses or the in the shopping apps letting you try on clothes without physically being in the store.

When we come to the question of how we can use AR in language classes, i can say that there are many ways of its usage. As an example, it can be used to develop vocabulary about an environment that you can interactively add media on it. Moreover, there are actually language learning apps which use augmented reality to offer the best option. One of them is the Mondly that i talked before. It promises to bringing language classes to life by creating your own learning environment. Especially children may have fun while learning about things such as animals because with the usage of augmented reality in Mondly, life-sized animals can appear just in the middle of their living room. Also for the adult learners, they may have real world-like conversations. Therefore, learners can be engaged in the language in every aspect with the usage of augmented reality and it is doubtless that they will enjoy the experience.