2024

ELLMA-T: an Embodied LLM-agent for Supporting English Language Learning in Social VR

Pan, Mengxu, Kitson, Alexandra, Wan, Hongyu et al.

Understand

Many people struggle with learning a new language, with traditional tools falling short in providing contextualized learning tailored to each learner's needs.

  • The recent development of large language models (LLMs) and embodied conversational agents (ECAs) in social virtual reality (VR) provide new opportunities to practice language learning in a contextualized and naturalistic way that takes into account the learner's language level and needs.
  • To explore this opportunity, we developed ELLMA-T, an ECA that leverages an LLM (GPT-4) and situated learning framework for supporting learning English language in social VR (VRChat).
  • Drawing on qualitative interviews (N=12), we reveal the potential of ELLMA-T to generate realistic, believable and context-specific role plays for agent-learner interaction in VR, and LLM's capability to provide initial language assessment and continuous feedback to learners.

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