Teacher-Mediated Augmented Reality and AI-Assisted Materials in a Moroccan Middle School: Vocabulary, Reading, and Writing Gains Among Grade 8 EFL Learners 

The integration of emerging technologies into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction has received growing attention, yet evidence from lower secondary schools remains limited, particularly on teacher-mediated augmented reality (AR) supported by AI-assisted material development. This study examined whether participation in a teacher-mediated, AR-supported instructional environment was associated with differences in vocabulary, reading comprehension, and writing performance among Grade 8 EFL learners in a Moroccan middle school. A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design was used with 60 learners aged 12–16 in two intact classes. The control class received textbook-based instruction aligned with the national curriculum; the experimental class followed the same curriculum supplemented with AR-enhanced materials. AI tools assisted only with scripting and content preparation, the teacher reviewed all materials, and no AI feedback, grading, or instructional decisions were used in class. Curriculum-aligned tests were administered before and after a four-week intervention and analyzed with paired-samples t-tests and with Welch independent-samples t-tests on gain scores. Both groups improved significantly in all three domains (p < .001). The experimental group showed larger mean gains in vocabulary (2.22 vs. 0.76), reading comprehension (2.19 vs. 0.59), and writing (1.63 vs. 0.64), with significant between-group differences in each domain (p < .001; Hedges’ g = 1.67, 1.97, and 1.26). Because the study relied on intact classes, teacher-developed assessments, a single school, and a short intervention, the findings are interpreted as associative rather than causal. They underline the importance of pedagogical design and teacher mediation when emerging technologies enter EFL classrooms.