An early-stage feasibility and usability pilot for an immersive serious game to support English spelling and semantic skills using AI

In recent years, the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has created new opportunities to build tools that support adult language acquisition and literacy skills. At the same time, Immersive Serious Games (iSG) have been shown to be more effective in increasing student engagement and motivation than traditional classroom methods. By combining iSG and AI, accessible spaces where students can practice their language skills, improve their spelling, and grow their semantic understanding can be developed.

To test this hypothesis, a virtual reality (VR) iSG combined with an artificial intelligence (AI) disembodied agent was created to support the learning of English language skills. This AI-VR iSG allows students to practice at their own pace through mini games. For instance, a “Word Cloud” game makes the act of spelling more physical and tangible, while a “Basketball” game makes semantic understanding more engaging. In addition to the mini games, an AI agent act as a virtual tutor that is always available to the students to help with spelling tasks, reducing anxiety for students that may feel anxious during face-to-face sessions with instructors.

A pre-test post-test experimental design was used to measure spelling skills and semantic understanding improvement. A spelling test was administered asking participants to spell 32 words ranging from short 3-letter words to more complex 10-letter words measuring improvements of words spelling before and after the use of the iSG. Finally, a questionnaire measuring accessibility and engagement of the serious game was also administered in the post iSG session.

Results indicated medium effect size improvements in spelling proficiency and VR engagement, alongside noted challenges regarding AI integration responsiveness. Ultimately, this paper shows that VR and AI are promising technologies to provide a supportive, asynchronous space for learning that helps students gain confidence while also making the workload easier to support teachers.