The Use of Escape Rooms to Teach and Learn English at University

This study investigates the use of escape rooms to teach and learn English at university. Ninety-five male and female university students (aged ۱۸-۲۰) participated in the experiment. They belonged to two intact groups, and were enrolled in English for Teachers subjects. Group ۱ had higher levels of English proficiency, it was decided that they would design the story and the clues to be solved out for the escape room. Conversely, students in Group ۲ would participate solving out the challenges to escape from the classroom. Eight clues were designed around a story, which was about the murder of a doctor. Then, students in Group ۱ were distributed in ۹ groups of work: one group worked out the story and the rest invented eight clues around it. After the experiment, students filled in an open questionnaire (provided by the teacher) about their experience learning and teaching English through an escape room. Results showed that students considered the escape room as a good tool for learning and teaching English. The product of this study can help curriculum designers and language instructors appreciate the importance of escape room as a good tool for learning and teaching English.

Keywords:

escape rooms” , learning” , “teaching” , “university