From screens to real talk: Boosting Vocational EFL speaking skills with mobile augmented reality
Authors
Fariz Kazimov
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Vocational students frequently grapple with communication apprehension in English classes that rely heavily on textbook dialogues rather than authentic practice. These scripted exchanges, devoid of the unpredictability inherent in actual workplace encounters, leave learners ill-prepared for spontaneous customer interactions or troubleshooting discussions, inadvertently heightening anxiety rather than building confidence. To address this disconnect, this paper proposes integrating Mobile Augmented Reality (MAR) scavenger hunts into vocational EFL curricula. By utilizing students' personal smartphones to scan physical objects in workshops or labs, learners unlock realistic, trade-specific tasks that demand collaborative, spoken English to resolve. Scanning an engine component, for example, might trigger an audio scenario in which a customer describes a mechanical issue, compelling the group to diagnose the problem and articulate a professional verbal recommendation. Framed as a gamified mission, the approach redirects learners' focus away from the paralyzing fear of grammatical error and toward successful task completion. The playfulness inherent in scavenger hunts lowers the perceived stakes of speaking, encouraging spontaneous risk-taking within supportive peer groups. Moreover, the inevitable negotiation of meaning that occurs among group members generates productive Language-Related Episodes, deepening lexical and pragmatic awareness organically. This adaptable framework transitions vocational EFL from passive, rote instruction to active, situated practice, cultivating pragmatic competence directly transferable to real-world professional environments.
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Authors
Fariz Kazimov
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References:
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