Shadowing Practice Using TED Talks on the Metaverse Platform, Gather: Affective Factors and Oral Proficiency Development

This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of employing the metaverse platform Gather for shadowing practice using TED Talks, focusing on the development of oral proficiency and affective attitudes among Korean EFL learners. A total of 49 college students participated, divided into two experimental groups. Group 1 (n = 24) engaged in shadowing practice on Gather, while group 2 (n = 25) partook in the same shadowing activities in a traditional classroom. Data collection involved pre- and post-speaking tasks and pre- and post-questionnaires assessing affective attitudes. The results revealed significant improvements in speaking skills for both groups, with group 1 demonstrating a higher degree of effectiveness. Furthermore, participants in both groups exhibited increased interest, motivation, and confidence levels. However, a notable difference emerged in anxiety levels, as the students in group one displayed a significant decrease in speaking anxiety, while those in group two showed no improvement in speaking anxiety after participating in the study. The findings indicate that integrating Gather for shadowing practice can effectively enhance Korean EFL learners’ oral proficiency and positively influence their affective attitudes toward language learning. The study contributes to the growing body of research on the potential of metaverse platforms as alternative learning environments for language instruction.