The effect of virtual reality applications on the development of productive language skills: a meta-analysis

Introduction The current literature on Virtual Reality (VR) reports promising findings in teaching productive language skills; however, important gaps remain. Evaluating these differences and drawing general conclusions across different conditions will inform future studies examining the impact of VR on the improvement of productive language skills. Therefore, this research aims to comprehensively examine the effects of VR-supported interventions on productive language skills through a meta-analysis. Methods This meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Experimental and quasi-experimental studies published between 2015 and 2025 were included in the scope. Results A summary of 21 studies involving 2,503 participants showed that VR applications have a moderately positive and significant effect on productive language skills ( g = 0.538). This result means that VR interventions significantly support language learners’ productive language skills. The moderator analysis showed that the moderators’ language type, target language, target language skills, learner educational level, intervention duration, and intervention setting have no significant effect. However, the “control treatment” moderator was statistically significant. Discussion As a conclusion, the research suggests that VR significantly affects the development of productive language skills through interactive, context-sensitive environments.