Learning a second language is tough, but virtual reality is here to help out. ImmerseMe transports high schoolers around the globe to practise on the ...

key Information

  • Registration process: New schools follow these instructions. Current subscribers are automatically registered.

  • Grade/year level suitability: From upper elementary (grades 5+) through middle school > high school > college/university

  • Levels: Content differentiated into beginner, intermediate, advanced

  • Equipment required: Laptop, tablet, mobile or VR headset!

  • Cost: Free for subscribers and new schools, $20/student (+ GST if NZ/AUS) for returning non-subscribers

  • No. students: There is no cap on the number of students you can register to compete.

  • Dates: Thu 1 May to Thu 8 May 2025

  • Exact start and finish time: 8pm 🇳🇿 | 6pm 🇦🇺 | 8am 🇬🇧 | 12am LA 🇺🇸

  • FAQ: Visit our Help Centre for tips on Getting Started, using our Student Zone and Teacher Dashboard.

  • Data/Privacy: We take data protection seriously, please refer to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use which are in line with NZ/AUS/GDPR requirements.

  • Archive:

  • Poster: Click to download (9MB)

LANGUAGES AVAILABLE

What do students do?

  • Students have one week to earn points by successfully responding to native speakers within contextual virtual reality-based 360° video recordings.

  • Examples include: ordering a baguette in Paris, buying a bento box in Tokyo or trying tapas at a Spanish restaurant.

  • ImmerseMe™ has been designed by a team of global language educators (see list) with the vision of creating ‘the world’s best academic language tool’.

  • Content is differentiated into three levels: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced.

  • Learners are progressed through scaffolded learning modes: Vocab > Grammar > Pronunciation > Typing > Spelling > Translation.

  • Students are tested on their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.

  • Choose from over 3,000 interactive scenarios across 12 languages: Arabic, English, French, German, Greek, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

  • ImmerseMe™ will prepare students with the practical language skills they need to thrive as a global citizen.

  • Teachers can follow student progress from a Teacher Dashboard and assign lessons as tasks.

  • Certificates and prizes (see below) are available to every student who earns more than 250 points.

We challenged students to 'show off their ImmerseMe skills' during the inaugural ImmerseMe Games (21-28 May 2020)

 
 

Webinar

An academic discussion on how immersive technology is being adopted successfully in world language classrooms to drive student engagement.

Featuring:

Joe Dale (MC), Language Consultant

Clair Atkins, Head of Modern Foreign Languages, King’s InterHigh (& ImmerseMe Games Winner 2021🎉)

Rachel Heer, Trust Director of Modern Foreign Languages, Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust

Bella (Ngoc) Tran, Masters Graduate, University of Oxford

Scott Cardwell, Co-founder and CEO, ImmerseMe

TEACHER FEEDBACK

“The ImmerseMe Games were a fantastic opportunity for my quieter students to shine in an environment where they didn’t have to worry about anyone else around them. 

They were able to speak up in a comfortable environment, which enabled them to build confidence in expressing themselves in German.

A number of my sometimes less engaged students connected with the technology aspect of the ImmerseMe Games and practiced their German almost as a side-effect of being enthralled in the technology, which was really powerful.”

- Heike Barker, German teacher, Cheltenham Primary School (VIC, Australia)

 
 

AFFILIATES

Are you part of a professional language teacher association? Please let them know about our ImmerseMe Games Affiliate programme.

It’s super simple, if your teacher association sends an email or posts on social media about the ImmerseMe Games to their network (wording provided) then we’ll put their logo on this competition page and every PDF certificate sent to schools! No cost for either party, just mutual language learning promotion 🙌

Please email hello@immerseme.co if you’re interested and our friendly ImmerseMe team will be there to help.

Register Your Rivalry

Tapping into those well-entrenched school rivalries for student motivation, we’d love for teachers to throw down the gauntlet and challenge a rival school(s) to the highest average score! We’ll issue a Special Award to the winning school.

To Register Your Rivalry simply:

  1. CC us into an email at hello@immerseme.co introducing the key contact from your rival school(s).

  2. Tell us the title of your rivalry, e.g. Boys' vs Girls' College Challenge, be creative!

  3. That's it! We'll get them set up and ready to rise to your challenge.

 
 

PRESS

NZ Herald article (3 Jul 2020) https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=12344548

Kerikeri students top the world in virtual language contest

Winners of the world's first international virtual reality language competition, Gillian Toala and Nimish Singh of Kerikeri High School, with ImmerseMe co-founder Scott Cardwell (wearing virtual reality goggles). Photo / Peter de Graaf

 

Two Kerikeri High School students have topped the world in the first international virtual reality language competition.

Gillian Toala, 16, didn't just beat 10,000 students in six countries to win the top prize in the ImmerseMe Games, she also won first place for Greek, a language she'd never studied before, and Spanish.

Another Year 12 student at Kerikeri High, Nimish Singh, also 16, placed second worldwide and took out the prize for Mandarin Chinese.

The competition was based around virtual reality language learning software developed by Kiwi company ImmerseMe. Read more…

 
 
 

CASE STUDY - MLC (AUSTRALIA)

 
 
 

"This is a tool that you use to practise and improve on your fluency and accuracy in a real-life scenario, without feeling self-conscious in front of a native speaker. It enables us to get rid of classroom walls and connect with the outside world."

Chloé Briand, ex Head of Languages
Methodist Ladies’ College (Melbourne)

 
 
 

SCREENSHOTS

 
 

AWARDS

Open Student Categories

A certificate will be awarded at the conclusion of the competition for the highest level achieved per student:

  • Bronze ‘Independence’ Award (250+ points)

  • Silver ‘Global Citizen’ Award (500+ points)

  • Gold ‘Fluency’ Award (1,000+ points)

  • ImmerseMe ‘Laureate’ Award (2,000+ points)

The word “laureate” refers to being signified by the laurel wreath. In Ancient Greece, laurel wreaths were awarded to victors as a sign of honour.

Top 2 Students Overall

Awarded for the “greatest individual score overall”

  1. ImmerseMe Games Dux Award - Top Scholar (includes PDF certificate & $100 digital voucher*)

  2. ImmerseMe Games Proxime Accessit Award - Runner-up (includes PDF certificate & $50 digital voucher*)

Top 2 Students Per Language

Awarded for the “greatest student score per language” and includes pdf certificate and $50 digital voucher (winner) or $25 digital voucher (runner-up)

  • ImmerseMe Games Student Prize in Arabic & Runner-up

  • ImmerseMe Games Student Prize in English & Runner-up

  • ImmerseMe Games Student Prize in French & Runner-up

  • ImmerseMe Games Student Prize in German & Runner-up

  • ImmerseMe Games Student Prize in Greek & Runner-up

  • ImmerseMe Games Student Prize in Indonesian & Runner-up

  • ImmerseMe Games Student Prize in Italian & Runner-up

  • ImmerseMe Games Student Prize in Japanese & Runner-up

  • ImmerseMe Games Student Prize in Mandarin & Runner-up

  • ImmerseMe Games Student Prize in Portuguese & Runner-up

  • ImmerseMe Games Student Prize in Russian & Runner-up

  • ImmerseMe Games Student Prize in Spanish & Runner-up

Innovative Educator Award

PDF certificate awarded to every teacher whose student(s) have achieved an open category award.

Top 2 Schools Overall

Awarded for the “greatest school score overall”

  1. ImmerseMe Games Top School Award (includes PDF certificate and name engraved on the Winner trophy)

  2. ImmerseMe Games Runner-up Award (includes PDF certificate and name engraved on the Runner-up plate)

Top 2 Schools By Average Score

Awarded for the “greatest average score by active users”

  1. ImmerseMe Games Best Average Score Award (includes PDF certificate)

  2. ImmerseMe Games Runner-up Average Score Award (includes PDF certificate)

Top 2 Schools Per Language

Awarded for the “greatest school score per language” (includes pdf certificate)

  • ImmerseMe Games School Prize in Arabic & Runner-up

  • ImmerseMe Games School Prize in English & Runner-up

  • ImmerseMe Games School Prize in French & Runner-up

  • ImmerseMe Games School Prize in German & Runner-up

  • ImmerseMe Games School Prize in Greek & Runner-up

  • ImmerseMe Games School Prize in Indonesian & Runner-up

  • ImmerseMe Games School Prize in Italian & Runner-up

  • ImmerseMe Games School Prize in Japanese & Runner-up

  • ImmerseMe Games School Prize in Mandarin & Runner-up

  • ImmerseMe Games School Prize in Portuguese & Runner-up

  • ImmerseMe Games School Prize in Russian & Runner-up

  • ImmerseMe Games School Prize in Spanish & Runner-up

Top 2 Schools Per Category

Awarded for the “greatest school score per category”

  • Category 1 Winner (1 - 50 students) & Runner-up

  • Category 2 Winner (51 - 100 students) & Runner-up

  • Category 3 Winner (101 - 250 students) & Runner-up

  • Category 4 Winner (251 - 500 students) & Runner-up

  • Category 5 Winner (501 - 1000 students) & Runner-up

  • Category 6 Winner (1000+ students) & Runner-up

RANDOM Prize draw

Random prize draw for one of ten $25 digital voucher prizes* (every 250 points counts towards an entry)

*Digital vouchers include options like iTunes, Amazon or Prezzee Card.