A systematic review of research on xReality (XR) in the English classroom: Trends, research areas, benefits, and challenges

Recent developments have sparked research on xReality (XR), which includes virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). However, little is known about how diverse types of XR technology are used in English teaching and learning. To this end, this paper presents a systematic review and analyzes 36 Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) articles published between 2013 and 2023 that are indexed in the Web of Science. This study aims to comprehensively explain the trends related to the integration of XR into English teaching and offer practical implications for institutions, researchers, and educators. The review results show that the frequency of published articles peaked in 2022. In addition, most studies used quantitative data collection methods and focused on general English, English speaking, or writing. The papers reviewed were categorized into two research areas: exploration and application of XR. The results reveal that integrating XR benefitted English learners in terms of motivation, satisfaction, engagement, and the development of language skills and knowledge. Some challenges of XR integration in English education are also discussed.