Abstract
This study explores the transformative potential of Virtual Reality (VR) in language learning, with a particular focus on the Nigerian educational context. As conventional language instruction methods struggle to meet the demands of multilingual classrooms and increasingly digital learners, VR emerges as a promising frontier, offering immersive, context-rich experiences that align with Second Language Acquisition (SLA) principles. Through qualitative analysis grounded in applied linguistics and educational technology, the paper evaluates how VR simulations can bridge linguistic gaps, enhance learner engagement, and foster both communicative competence and cultural fluency. It also considers how VR can support bilingual and multilingual learning by simulating realistic scenarios in English, Pidgin, French, and indigenous Nigerian languages. The study highlights the unique affordances of VR, such as experiential learning, emotional immersion, and real-time interaction, as tools for addressing Nigeria’s persistent language education challenges. It further examines ethical and infrastructural concerns, including digital inequality, teacher readiness, and content localization. Recommendations include the integration of VR into national curricula, the development of locally relevant content, and the promotion of inclusive, mobile-accessible VR platforms. Ultimately, the paper positions VR not just as a technological advancement but as a pedagogical innovation capable of reshaping how languages are taught and learned in Nigeria’s complex linguistic landscape. It concludes that for VR to be impactful, its implementation must be context-aware, equity-driven, and rooted in Nigeria’s educational realities.
Keywords: Virtual Reality, Language Learning, Nigerian Education, Immersive Pedagogy, Second Language Acquisition
DOI: 10.36349/alqajolls.2026.v01i02.012
author/Sule Lawal, Muibat Tijani-Sanusi & Ibrahim Khalil Musa Ph.D.
journal/AL-QALAM JLLS 1(2) | June 2026
