Designing material for ESP-XR: An augmented reality-based mobile application for English for specific purposes learning

This study presents the design and linguistic development of ESP-XR, an Augmented Reality (AR)-based mobile application aimed at supporting the acquisition of domain-specific language in Business, Medical, and Legal English. Grounded in Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL), the project integrates a situational syllabus with a Task-Based Approach (TBA) to foster authentic communication and learner engagement. The Business English module is outlined in detail, including the process of defining learning objectives and designing a syllabus tailored for a B2-level audience. Drawing on corpus-informed methods, authentic materials were adapted to create interactive dialogues and AR-based vocabulary tasks aiming to enhance vocabulary retention through embodiment and gamification. While challenges were encountered—particularly in identifying concrete AR-representable items and maintaining textual authenticity—this study outlines the potential of AR-enhanced tools to promote immersive ESP learning.