A Comparison of Readability and Understandability in Second Language Acquisition Textbooks for Pre-service EFL Teachers

Abstract

Teachers must be able to comprehend their textbooks in order to fully benefit from their preparation programs. However, it is yet unclear whether textbooks used to teach challenging content to preservice non-native speaking English teachers might be beyond their ability. To investigate this question, a textbook readability analysis was performed with the Coh-Metrix text analysis tool. Textbook understandability was also assessed by means of maze passages given to teacher candidates in a pre-service English teacher education program. Readability analyses results indicated that the majority of the texts are excessively challenging for L2 readers at the level of the participants. Understandability findings revealed that many texts were able to be read independently but that all texts could be understood with scaffolding. Contrary to prior understandability research findings that showed that these textbooks were too difficult, this study found them to be suitable for their audience. However, a correlation between text understandability and course grades indicates that ability to comprehend the text could relate to course performance. Implications are that EFL teacher educators must recognize the importance of readability for textbook selection criteria and provide learners with access to other supplementary materials to scaffold their learning.

Breaking Down Barriers to Science Education: Evaluating the Readability of Science Textbooks for second-grade Secondary Students in Jordan

“…More precisely, the findings showed a positive and statistically significant association between students' reading levels and their success in science (Ismail & Yusoff, 2022;Nunoo et al, 2021). After administering a cloze exam and utilizing an online software tool, it was determined that the textbooks suggested to students were excessively challenging (Odo, 2018;Omer & Al-Khaza'leh, 2021). Fatoba (2014) and Fatoba (2015) demonstrated that the readability of textbooks had a substantial effect on student performance in the science disciplines of chemistry and biology, respectively.…”

Investigating pre-service teachers’ perceptions on readability tools: a case study in Indonesia

“…The first is the analysis of reading materials used for English teaching. Many studies have been directed to explore the applications of readability tools across different educational levels such as in high schools [23], [24] and higher education institutions [25]. Both of the examples focus using the tools to analyze readability of texts for teaching and learning purposes to find out the suitability of the texts.…”

A Systematic Literature Review on the Components for Designing and Developing Critical Reading Modules for EFL Learners

“…Teaching methods focus on cultivating critical reading, such as problem-based learning (e.g., Thorndahl & Stentoft, 2020), reflective writing (e.g., Jawas, 2019;Joannes & AlSaqqaf, 2023), and textual analysis (Odo, 2018), which enhance students' awareness of their thinking processes. Critical reading involves understanding critical thinking and employing techniques to increase engagement in reading.…”