Didactum
Vol. 1 No. 2 (2026): Juni 2026

The Effect of Using Escape Room Toward Students’ Reading Comprehension at the Eighth-Grade of MTsN 7 Agam

Lola Lovita (Universitas Islam Negeri Sjech M.Djamil Djambek Bukittinggi)
Eliza (Universitas Islam Negeri Sjech M.Djamil Djambek Bukittinggi)
Absharini Kardena (Universitas Islam Negeri Sjech M.Djamil Djambek Bukittinggi)
Syahrul (Universitas Islam Negeri Sjech M.Djamil Djambek Bukittinggi)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Jun 2026

Abstract

Reading comprehension plays a crucial role in English learning, particularly in understanding narrative texts. Based on observations and interviews at MTsN 7 Agam, most students struggled to comprehend English texts, especially in identifying main ideas, implicit information, and moral messages. In addition, the teacher still used conventional methods, in which students read texts, translated words, and answered textbook questions, making learning less interactive. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of using Escape Room on students’ reading comprehension of narrative texts in the eighth grade at MTsN 7 Agam. This study employed a quantitative method with a quasi-experimental design. The population consisted of 222 eighth-grade students, and cluster sampling selected class VIII.2 as the control class and VIII.3 as the experimental class. Data were collected through multiple-choice reading comprehension tests administered as pre-tests and post-tests. The Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test examined differences between pre-test and post-test results, while the Mann-Whitney U Test compared the experimental and control classes. The results showed that Ha was accepted and H0 was rejected. The Wilcoxon test produced Sig. = 0.000, indicating that Escape Room significantly improved students’ reading comprehension. The Mann-Whitney U Test showed a significant difference between the two classes, with Sig. = 0.006. The experimental class obtained a higher mean rank of 38.73 than the control class’s 26.27. Thus, teaching reading using Escape Room was more effective than conventional methods in improving students’ reading comprehension.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

didactum

Publisher

Subject

Religion Computer Science & IT Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Library & Information Science Mathematics Other

Description

Didactum: Journal of Educational Innovation and Learning Studies publishes peer-reviewed articles on teaching and learning innovation. It welcomes original research that advances educational theory and practice in Islamic and general education. The scope of the journal includes, but is not limited ...