Teachers' Perceptions of Integrating Virtual Reality Applications in English Language Teaching within the Digital Culture Context

Abstract

The integration of Virtual Reality (VR) into English Language Teaching (ELT) has gained increasing attention as digital culture reshapes contemporary educational practices. This study investigates how English teachers perceive the pedagogical value, practicality, and challenges of implementing VR in classroom instruction. Employing a descriptive qualitative design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews and limited classroom observations involving five English teachers with prior experience using VR-supported activities. Thematic analysis revealed that teachers view VR as a powerful tool for creating immersive, authentic, and experiential learning environments that foster communicative competence and reduce learners’ anxiety. VR was also perceived to enhance students’ motivation and active participation, particularly among learners who were previously reluctant to speak in class. Despite these benefits, teachers encountered substantial barriers, including limited technological infrastructure, unstable connectivity, insufficient training, and difficulties aligning VR activities with curriculum requirements. The study further highlights that digital culture plays a decisive role in shaping teachers’ readiness and confidence to adopt VR, acting either as a catalyst or constraint depending on institutional support. These findings contribute to broader theoretical discussions on immersive technology adoption in language education by demonstrating that VR integration is not solely an instructional choice but a systemic and cultural process. Practical implications include the need for sustained institutional investment, targeted professional development, and the creation of pedagogically aligned VR materials. Recommendations for future research involve broader sampling, mixed-method designs, and longitudinal examination of VR’s long-term impact on language learning.