An Analysis on Readability Level of English Reading Texts for Eighth Grade Students

Yulianto Universitas Islam Riau email: [email protected] Abstract Selecting appropriate textbook for the students is important because textbook has dominant role in the success of foreign language teaching and learning. The purpose this article is to analyze the readability level of English reading texts with Flesch-Kincaid Readability Formula. There were eight reading texts that will be analyzed in this qualitative study. The data and source of data of this research were adopted from an English textbook entitled Pathway to English 2 Textbook for the Eighth Grade of Junior High School Students Published by Erlangga. The results reveal that only 1 text was appropriate for seven or eight grade of Junior High School students. There were 6 texts appropriate elementary students. And there was 1 text suitable for Senior High School students. Based on the result of calculating the readability level only one text from eight texts are relevant to the eighth grade students of Junior High School. Key Words: analysis, readability level, texts

Analisis Tingkat Keterbacaan Teks Bahasa Inggris untuk Siswa Kelas VIII

Abstrak Memilih buku teks yang sesuai untuk siswa adalah penting karena buku teks memiliki peran dominan dalam keberhasilan pengajaran dan pembelajaran bahasa asing. Tujuan artikel ini adalah untuk menganalisis tingkat keterbacaan teks bahasa Inggris dengan Flesch-Kincaid Readability formula. Ada delapan teks bacaan yang akan dianalisis dalam penelitian kualitatif ini. Data dan sumber data penelitian ini diadopsi dari buku teks bahasa Inggris berjudul Pathway to English 2 Textbook untuk Siswa Kelas VIII SMP yang diterbitkan oleh Penerbit Erlangga. Hasilnya mengungkapkan bahwa hanya 1 teks yang sesuai untuk kelas tujuh atau delapan siswa SMP. Ada 6 teks yang sesuai untuk siswa sekolah dasar, dan ada 1 teks yang cocok untuk siswa SMA. Berdasarkan hasil penghitungan tingkat keterbacaan, hanya satu teks dari delapan teks yang relevan dengan siswa kelas delapan SMP.

Kata Kunci: analisis, tingkat keterbacaan, teks

1. INTORDUCTION comprehension. Therefore, the effect of choosing unsuitable textbook can Textbooks are used principally cause students’ low achievement in because they are prepared according to reading comprehension because there a certain organization in compliance is no suitability between the textbook the Ministry of National Education’s and the students’ reading level. programme. They are one of the most To support the selection of important resources in planned and suitable textbook, teachers need to programmed education studies. The consider three points of view in students’ ability to follow textbooks is selecting text for reading material. very important since textbooks play a They are readability, suitability of significant role not only in content, and exploitability. determining the purpose and plan of a Readability is the degree to which a lesson, but also in assisting classroom text is matched to its intended and activities by presenting and organizing actual reader. Thus, readability the content in accordance with the becomes one of the points that make curriculum, and in making the learning the selection of reading materials is process more attractive for students. important. This also deals with the Due to this, it is important that statement that in the English language textbooks used by students and teaching and learning, teachers have a teachers should be reviewed and role as the ones who provide materials, analysed from several perspectives. not the ones who create them. In Indonesia, many textbooks Therefore, teachers have an important are produced to support English role in textbook selection. language teaching and learning. There In addition, readability of texts are textbook that published by the has to be analyzed in order to see their Ministry of Education and Culture level of suitability. Many researchers (Kementerian Pendidikan dan believe that reading difficulty relates Kebudayaan (Kemendikbud), there to the reading materials at the are also textbooks that are published beginning of the readability study. by public or private publishers. These This statement implies that students’ textbooks can be used as additional assumption about the difficulty of a materials by the teachers. Teachers text relates to the text itself. and schools need to choose and select Based on the writer and her suitable textbooks for their students in friends’ experience in doing teaching order to match the level and students’ and learning process, they found that learning needs because the suitability there were many students who gained of textbooks and students’ reading low score in reading. It was caused by level will help students in their low understanding of the reading comprehending the reading texts well. texts. In many classes, they found that Furthermore, selecting there were some students who textbooks carefully is important understood the reading texts while because textbooks have dominant role others did not. Thus, students’ low in the success of foreign language score might be caused by their low teaching and learning. Textbooks are understanding of the reading texts. used as a guideline by teachers to meet In relation to the students’ students’ need, especially in reading understanding of texts, one of the

An Analysis on Readability Level of English J-SHMIC, Vol 6, No 1, February 2019 Reading Texts for Eighth Grade Students

factors determining students’ c. Exploitability, it means understanding of a text is text facilitation of learning. When a readability. Thus, this becomes the teacher exploits a text, s/he reason that the writer decided to makes competence as readers. conduct this study on analyzing the readability level of English reading It can be synthesized that texts in Pathway to English 2 criteria of good text can be seen from Textbook for the Eighth Grade of the readability, not only structural and Junior High School Students lexical difficult but also on the Published by Erlangga”. interestingness of the text for the The readability of a book readers. An exciting text will carry the depends on whether it is readers to read it more and more than comprehensible and legible for the a dull text will carry the readers to read reader. Readability level depends on it more than a dull text that is not likely the length of the sentences and the to contribute them to the development complexity of the language used in the of reading competence. book (Soyibo, 1996). Readers use their In the selection of text one past knowledge and experiences to should not only pay attention to the generate meaning from a text degree of L2 proficiency the learners (Alvermann, 1989). Readability can have already attained, and their be expressed both as speed reading and interests, but also to the degree of reading comprehension level of the difficulty of texts. Selecting a text also students with respect to the material need to play attention to student the in they are reading. In measuring the appropriate text to them. Several readability level of texts in English factors that affect the degree of textbook can be measured by using difficulty of texts include words, Flesch-Kincaid formula. The structures, approaches, and precious readability of a text depends upon how knowledge of students. Moreover, easily it can be understood by the Guthrie (2008:10) point out that “the reader (Fry, 2002). procedure for selecting effective test is Since reading became crucial simple : identity the reading level of skill, the selection of a good passage students via standardized reading tests, became an important thing. Selecting a readable books based on a readability good passage is not an easy matter. formula or judgments by teacher There are some aspects should be teams, and match the books with the considered. Nuttall (1982:25-31) students”. mentions there are three points of view The concept of readability has in selecting a text as follow: been defined in various ways. Dubay (2004:3) defines that “Readability is a. Readability, namely the what makes some texts easier to read combination of structural and that others.” It refers to how easy a lexical (i.e. vocabulary) written text is to read and understand. difficult, The readability of a text is a measure b. Suitability of content that a text of how well and hoe easily a text should be able to interest the conveys the intended meaning to a greatest number of students reader. This implies that when a text and will not actually bore cannot be well read and not easily them, understood it is unreadable. Good

An Analysis on Readability Level of English J-SHMIC, Vol 6, No 1, February 2019 Reading Texts for Eighth Grade Students

writing should be highly readable in itself. Knowing readability level of a order to be clearly understood by a particular text helps us to predict how wide audience. Readability has the much suitable the texts are for the interaction between writers and readers. It is a concept associated with readers as its central concern as well, every written text. in fact, readability research looks Thus, form the definitions exclusively and specially at how above can be concluded that the readers and writers interact in a text, readability of the text relates to how and it examines ways to enhance and easily human readers can process and improve factors which connect reader understand a text as the writer of the and writer in a text. text intended. In other words, In addition, Harjasujana and readability refers to the general Vismaia S. Damianti cited from sri difficulty level of written material Handayani (2014) said that readability which can affect readers’ is a measurement of the suitability of a comprehension. Therefore, it is one of particular reading for readers to rank the factors that determine the certain readers. In means that understanding of a subject by the readability is an attempt to match the students. reading with understanding level of Gray and Leary, cited in Dubay the reader. The purpose of readability (2004:18) identify four factors that itself is to find out the right fit between affect readability. Firstly, content. In students reading ability determine the content, there are some aspects that successful of learners to get a good should be considered. They are comprehension in reading and it propositions, organization, and also determines the students’ ability to coherence. A good content should understanding and obtain meaning have a good proposition, organization from the textbooks. and coherence in a text to make a Furthermore, according to reader easier to understand the George Klare cited in Dubay (2004:3), meaning of a text. Secondly, style. stated that readability is “the ease of Dubay (2004) showed that the best understanding or comprehension due predictors of textual difficulty were to style, in contrast to factors like two aspect of style, namely: semantic format, features of organization and content (e.g. of vocabulary) and content. The basic process in these syntactic structure (e.g. sentence readability tests involves counting the length). Syntactic structure can be number of some combination of determined using readability formulas syllables, words, sentences and which are strictly text-based. The view paragraphs to estimate the difficulty of of reading is not as an author-based the language level used. The average factors regarding readability. Not all length of sentence and the average these factors are quantifiable; for syllables per word are the most example factors related to important variables to determine communicating meaning such as readability levels. legibility are non-quantifiable. Daniel Kasule (2011) also Thirdly, design. In design including added that “textbook readability typography, format, and illustrations implies assessing readability chapter of a text, they are very determining the by chapter.” It means that readability readability of a textbook. There are determine the quality of a textbook some factors influence to make a good

An Analysis on Readability Level of English J-SHMIC, Vol 6, No 1, February 2019 Reading Texts for Eighth Grade Students

design, that is : selecting the right example newspaper, articles, and typeface, choose a legible a type size, journalism. emphasizing text, consider the suitable Another formula of Flesch is layout like think carefully about white Flesch Kincaid. It is a modification space, column width, line spacing, and formula from Reading Ease formula. paragraph length, etc. The last is In 1976, a study commissioned by the structure. Readability considers a U.S. navy modified the Reading Ease structure in a text, such as chapters, formula to produce a grade-level heading, and also navigation. There is score. a standard to make a good test so that easier student to get a meaning and 1.1 Flesch Reading Ease avoid misunderstanding. Because a reader will more interest to read a Flesch Reading Ease is a passage if it is fulfills a standard simple formula to assess the grade structure in the chapter, heading, and level of the reader. It is one of the few navigation. accurate measures around that we can There are many readability rely on without too much scrutiny. formulas used to measure the This formula developed by the readability level of the written pioneering Rudolf Flesch. It was material, but some of them are better recalculated to give a grade-level known and more popular. One of them score. In the Flesch Reading Ease test, is Flesch Readability Formula. higher scores indicate material that’s easier to read, lower scores more A Flesch readability formula is difficult. considered one of most accurate Flesch readability formula readability formulas. It was developed measures length: the longer the words by Rudolph Flesch in 1948. This and sentence, the harder the passage to formula is a simple approach to assess read. Like most of readability the grade level of the reader. It is also formulas, it involves the sampling of one of the few accurate measures 100-word sample. Based on the around that we can rely on without too Flesch, there are three direction to much scrutiny. There are two kind of measure the readability. The first step readability formula, namely Flesch is count the sentence. Second is count Reading Ease and Flesch Kincaid. the words, hyphenated words, According to Chall and Klare abbreviation, figure, symbols, and cited from Dubay (1990:58) Flesch’s either combination are count as single Reading Ease formula became the words. Then, measure with the Fesch most tested and reliable. The readability formula and find the computation involves only the readability level. counting of syllables, words, and sentence. The formula is the best 1.2 Flesch Kincaid Grade Level combination of simplicity and meaningfulness. Moreover, Flesch Assessment of text readability is readability formula is the best and useful to know whether a text is appropriate on school text of reading written at level suitable for the target passage written in English, whereas audience. One of the assessments to the other formulas are practical and assess the text is readability formula. can be used for other written form, for Readability formula provide in adjective and easy to calculate means

An Analysis on Readability Level of English J-SHMIC, Vol 6, No 1, February 2019 Reading Texts for Eighth Grade Students

of quantifying readability (Advaith ASW = Average number of syllables Siddharthan, 2013 : 137 ). A per word (i.e., the number of syllables readability formula can predict the divided by the number of words) comprehension, interest aspects. Therefore, there are many readability The output, i.e., RE is a formula used nowadays, one of them is number ranging from 0 to 100. The the Flesch-Kincaid Readability higher the number, the easier the text formula. It is one of the most famous is to read. readability formulas so far in the a. Scores between 90.0 and 100.0 history of readability studies. It is are considered easily calculated by using sentence and word understandable by an average length as variable. 5th grader. The Flesch Reading Ease b. Scores between 60.0 and 70.0 Formula is a simple approach to assess are considered easily the grade-level of the reader. It’s also understood by 8th and 9th one of the few accurate measures graders. around that we can rely on without too c. Scores between 0.0 and 30.0 much scrutiny. This formula is best are considered easily used on school text. It has since understood by college become a standard readability formula graduates. used by many US Government Agencies, including the US If we were to draw a Department of Defense. However, conclusion from the Flesch Reading primarily, we use the formula to assess Ease Formula, then the best text the difficulty of a reading passage should contain shorter sentences and written in English. words. The score between 60 and 70 is largely considered acceptable. The 1.3 The Formula of Flesch Kincaid following range is also helpful to Readability Test assess the ease of readability in a document: 1.3.1 Flesch Reading Ease Readability Formula 90 – 100 : Very Easy 80 – 89 : Easy In the Flesch Reading Ease 70 – 79 : Fairly Easy test, highest score indicate material 60 – 69 : Standard that is easier to read; lower number 50 – 59 : Fairly Difficult mark passages that are more difficult 30 – 49 : Difficult to read. The formula of Flesch 0 – 29 : Very Confusing Reading Ease is:

RE = 206.835 – (1.015 x ASL) – 1.3.2 Flesch Kincaid Grade Level (84.6 x ASW) Flesch Grade Level Readability Formula improves upon RE = Readability Ease the Flesch Reading Ease Readability ASL = Average Sentence Length (i.e., Formula. Rudolph Flesch, an author, the number of words divided by the writing consultant, and the supporter number of sentences) of Plain English Movement, is the co- author of this formula along with John P. Kincaid. That’s why it is also

An Analysis on Readability Level of English J-SHMIC, Vol 6, No 1, February 2019 Reading Texts for Eighth Grade Students

called Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level for teachers, parents, librarians, and Readability Test. Raised in Austria, others to judge the readability level of Flesch studied law and earned a Ph.D. various books and texts for the in English from the Columbia students. University. Flesch, through his writings and speeches, advocated a return to phonics. 2. METHOD The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level The writer used descriptive Readability Formula qualitative analysis method in doing The following are steps of his research, in which he tried to using Flesch-Kincaid grade level describe, elaborate, an analyze the readability formula. readability level of reading texts in Pathway to English 2 textbook Step 1: Calculate the average number published by Erlangga. of words used per sentence. The data and source of data of Step 2: Calculate the average number this research is adopted from an of syllables per word. English textbook entitled Pathway to Step 3: Multiply the average number English 2 Textbook for the Eighth of words by 0.39 and add it to the Grade of Junior High School Students average Published by Erlangga. This textbook number of syllables per word consists of eight units and each unit multiplied by 11.8. has reading texts. Step 4: Subtract 15.59 from the In this study, the researcher result. needs tool to be flexible in collecting data; the main instrument in this The specific mathematical formula research is documentation. The writer is: used documentation to analyze the readability level of text in the English FKRA = (0.39 x ASL) + (11.8 x textbook and the document itself is the ASW) - 15.59 sources that are taken from written forms. Where, The document in this study was an English textbook entitled FKRA = Flesch-Kincaid Reading Pathway to English 2 Textbook for the Age Eighth Grade of Junior High School ASL = Average Sentence Length (i.e., Students Published by Erlangga, and the number of words divided by the this study analyzed the readability number of sentences) level of reading text in the English ASW = Average number of Syllable textbook. per Word (i.e., the number of syllables The technique to collect the divided by the number of words) data in this study is by using documentation, and the reading texts Analyzing the results is a available on an English textbook simple exercise. For instance, a score entitle Pathway to English 2 Textbook of 5.0 indicates a grade-school level; for the Eighth Grade of Junior High i.e., a score of 9.3 means that a ninth School Students Published by grader would be able to read the document. This score makes it easier

An Analysis on Readability Level of English J-SHMIC, Vol 6, No 1, February 2019 Reading Texts for Eighth Grade Students

Erlangga . And the steps of collecting using a website of readability formula, data are as follows: namely www.redabilityformula.com 1. Determined the English Below are these steps in using website textbook for Junior high of readability formula as follows: school 2. Identified the reading text on 1. Open the website namely English textbook entitle www.redabilityformula.com Pathway to English 2 2. After that, choose one of Textbook for the Eighth Grade readability formulas that you of Junior High School want. There are six kinds of Students Published by readability formulas, such as Erlangga. the Flesch Reading Ease 3. Read the text carefully formula, the Flesch-Kincaid 4. Counted the number of Grade Level, Fog Scale ( sentence, words, and syllables Gunning FOG Formula ), the in each text. SMOG index, the Coleman- Liau Index, Automated In this study, the writer used Readability Index, Linsear flesch readability formula because the Write Formula. formula is the easier to analyze the 3. Then, click the calculator of English texts, the writer conducted each formula. After click the four steps in analyzing the data are as area, will be there is a direction follow: to copy paste the text. 1. Firstly, the writer selected the 4. After copying paste the text, text in the textbooks at least click check the readability and 100 words long, then input the formula will work and also them to computer in the showing the text readability Microsoft Word automatically, including the 2. After that, analyzed and number of sentence, words, counted the sentences, words syllables and characters. and syllables in each text of 5. Analyze the readability level of reading texts. texts based on The Grade-level 3. Measured the readability of Scores each text based on the Flesch and The Flesch Reading Ease readability formula. Score 4. Described and gave further explanation related to the 3. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION readability In analyzing the data, the first 5. Determined the grade of each step was counting the sentences, the of reading text by comparing second was by counting the words, the the result of the score to the third was by counting the syllables, other criteria as shown in the and counting all of them by using readability table, which ones Flesch readability formula. are relevant to junior high school level.

Findings In addition, there is simple way to measure the readability level by

An Analysis on Readability Level of English J-SHMIC, Vol 6, No 1, February 2019 Reading Texts for Eighth Grade Students

Reading text 1 entitled The generous has 20 sentences, 214 words, Muse Live Concert has 16 sentences, and 304 syllables. While, in text 6 119 words, and 162 syllables. Then, entitled The cowardly lion consist of reading text 2 has Alimudin, a Local 21 sentences, 246 words, 314 Footballer has 19 sentences, 126 syllables. In the text 7 entitled Thomas words, and 168 syllables. Reading text Alva Edison consists of 18 sentences, 3 entitled Daily activities has 12 171 words, 255 syllables. Next, in the sentences, 106 words, and 141 8 entitled Cats has 13 sentences, 127 syllables. The result counting of 15 words, 164 syllables. sentences, 210 words, and 361 syllables belongs to reading text 4 The following table is the entitled Louis Pasteur. Next, reading summary of the sentences, words, and text 5 entitled The stingy and the syllables counting: Table 2. Table of Sentences, Words and Syllables Counting

Number of Text Sentences Words Syllables

Text 1 16 119 162

Text 2 19 126 168

Text 3 12 106 141

Text 4 15 210 361

Text 5 20 214 304

Text 6 21 246 314

Text 7 18 171 255

Text 8 13 127 164

From the table 2 above, it can be seen Flesch-Kincaid readability formula and concluded that all the texts (text 1 can be used to measure the readability up to text 8) have more than 100 level of texts. words as basic requirement of testing readability level of texts. It means that Discussion reading for VII grade students, which The purpose of this research is is Flesch-Kincaid readability formula. to analyze the readability level of texts The result finding of reading used in teaching reading for VIII grade text 1 is 81.93 for reading Ease; it students of Junior High School. The means that the text Easy for the writer employed a widely used and description of style because it is in 80 valid measure to assess the reading – 90 reading score. And the result grade level of texts used in teaching finding for Flesch-Kincaid Reading

An Analysis on Readability Level of English J-SHMIC, Vol 6, No 1, February 2019 Reading Texts for Eighth Grade Students

Age is 3.786. The estimated reading The result finding of reading grade is 4 grade and below. text 7 is 67.369 for Reading Ease; it The end means that the text is standard for the result discovering of analyzing text 2 description of style because it is in 60 is 87.359 for Reading Ease; – 70 reading score. And the result it potential that the text is Easy for the finding for Flesch-Kincaid Reading description of style because it is in 80 – Age is 6.314. The estimated reading 89 studying score. And grade is grade 7-8. the result finding for Flesch-Kincaid The result finding of reading Reading Age is 2.724. The text 8 is 85.437 for Reading Ease; it estimated reading grade is 4 grade and means that the text is Easy for the below. description of style because it is in 80 The result finding of reading – 90 reading score. And the result text 3 is 110.044 for Reading Ease; it finding for Flesch-Kincaid Reading means that the text is Very Easy for the Age is 3.951. The estimated reading description of style because it is in 80 grade is grade 4 and below. – 89 reading score. And the result Overall, the result findings of finding for Flesch-Kincaid Reading reading texts from text 1 up to text 8 Age is 0.44. The estimated reading only one text that suitable for seventh grade is 4 grade and below. and eighth grade students. It means The result finding of studying that 7 texts irrelevant to the students of text 4 is 45.588 for Reading Ease; Junior High School of eighth grade. it ability that the text is Difficult for the description of style due to the fact it is 4. CONCLUSION in 40 – 50 analyzing score. And Based on the findings and the end result finding for Flesch- discussion of the readability level of Kincaid Reading Age is 10.59. The reading texts in Pathway to English 2 estimated analyzing grade textbook published by Erlangga, it can is sixteen and above (college be concluded that the readability level graduate). of reading texts are vary from one text The end to another. From eight reading texts, result discovering of studying text 5 is there are six texts are easy and 75.156 for Reading Ease; appropriate for Elementary School and it capability that the text is Fairly Easy below. Only one text is appropriate for for the description of fashion due to the seven – eight grade of Junior, and the fact it is in 70 – 80 analyzing score. one text is appropriate for Senior High And the result finding for Flesch- School Students. Kincaid Reading Age is 5.56. The In accordance with the estimated reading grade is grade 5-6. conclusion, the suggestions can be The result finding of reading given of the following: The readability text 6 is 85.268 for Reading Ease; it should be one of the top concerns means that the text is Easy for the when teacher use reading texts as description of style because it is in 80 teaching material. Readability is the – 90 reading score. And the result ease with which a reader can finding for Flesch-Kincaid Reading understand a written text. It should Age is 4.409. The estimated reading appropriate to the students level. grade is grade 4 and below. Teacher should like a tool to check if a given text would be readable by its

An Analysis on Readability Level of English J-SHMIC, Vol 6, No 1, February 2019 Reading Texts for Eighth Grade Students

intended readers or students. For the Fry, E. 2002. Readability versus writer of English textbooks for eighth leveling. The Reading Teacher, grade are suggested to be aware of 56, 286–291. readability of texts they included into textbook they write; and other Guthrie, T John. 2008. Engaging researcher are suggested to conduct Adolescents in Reading, further research related to findings of California: Corwin Press this research by employing other Harmer, J. 1991. The Practice of readability formula, or other method of English Language Teaching, readability analysis. London: Longman

Handayani, S. 2014. The Readability REFERENCES of Science: Student’s Book for Student’s Book for Junior High Alvermann, D. E. 1989. Teacher- School Year VIII Viewed From student mediation of content The Lexical and Grammatical area text. Theory into Practice, Aspects (A Content Analysis of 28(2), 142–147. Science Lesson of Junior High Buffett, W. E. 1998. A Plain English Schools of Surakarta) : handbook: How to create clear International Journal of SEC disclosure document. Linguistics.6 (1). p.12-25 Washington: Office of Investor Harrison, C. 2004. Understanding Education and Assistance. Reading Development. London: C, Umoke C and Dr.Mrs. E, Nwafor C. SAGE Publications Ltd 2015 Examination of The Langebord, L 2010. An Analysis of Readability Level of Some English Textbooks for Swedish Approved Science Textbooks in School Years 7-9: English Use in Junior Secondary Linguistics. Schools in Ebonyi State of Keith, B. et al 2014. Readability of Nigeria: British Journal of PTA Textbooks and Reading Education.3 (11). Pp.26-31 Comprehension Rates of PTA Dubay, William H. 2004. The Students: LARTEM e- Principles of Readability, Costa Journal.6(1).p.37-47 Mesa: Impact Information Nuttal, C.(2000. Teaching Reading Ernawati, Deni 2013 An analysis Of Skills in A Foreign Language The Readability Level Of (New Edition). McMillan Reading Texts In Passport To Heinemann. The World 2 Textbook By Using Soyibo, K. 1996. A comparison of Cloze Test communication strategies Flesch, Rudolf. 1949. The Art of among three Caribbean high Readable Writing: Harper and school biology textbooks. Row. Journal of Biological Education, 30(3), 190–194.

An Analysis on Readability Level of English J-SHMIC, Vol 6, No 1, February 2019 Reading Texts for Eighth Grade Students