VR app helps users learn English

As a native English speaker, I have a built-in advantage when I visit other countries. On the streets of Paris, Rome, and even Osaka, I could always find some who spoke enough English to give me directions.

That’s not the case for someone from Mexico, Germany or China who finds themselves on the streets of London or New York. Learning to be comfortable speaking English can be a difficult task, but now practicing in a virtual reality can help.

A new app called Language VR lets users practice their new language is real life situations using VR goggles like Google Cardboard.

Developed by the British company VirtualSpeech, Language VR will teach English to people who speak French, Spanish, Portuguese, German and Chinese. More languages are slated to be released in the future.

The app puts users in different environments such as a kitchen, bedroom or office and in locations around England, such as Cornwall London. They can role play situations such as booking a hotel or having a job interview with managers from Google and Goldman Sachs.

The app also includes audiobook chapters from English novels such as Treasure Island and a scoring system that tracks and rewards their progress.

Language VR for Android mobile phones is available for $1.99 in the Google Play Store. To see how the app works, watch the video below and for news and updates, follow @vrspeech on Twitter.

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Written by Ric Manning

Follow me on Twitter @ricmanning and read my technology columns at My Well Being.