TEXTBOOK DISCOURSE READABILITY: GENDER, READING INTEREST, AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF STUDENTS WITH POOR READING ABILITY

Sultan Sultan, Faculty of Languages and Literature, Universitas Negeri Makassar, Indonesia, Indonesia
Muhammad Rapi, Faculty of Languages and Literature, Universitas Negeri Makassar, Indonesia
Mayong Mayong, Faculty of Languages and Literature, Universitas Negeri Makassar, Indonesia
Suardi Suardi, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Universitas Negeri Makassar, Indonesia

 10.21831/cp.v39i3.32326

Abstract


Textbook discourse readability is primarily determined by three key factors: the text, the writer, and the reader. Textbook discourse readability from the reader aspect especially among students with poor reading ability is rarely studied. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate textbook discourse readability among junior high school students with poor reading ability based on gender, reading interest, and family socio-economic status. A quantitative survey was conducted on 257 respondents from Indonesia. The data were gathered using a questionnaire and a cloze test. The results showed that textbook discourse readability on all investigated variables was categorized into the frustration level. There was a significant difference in textbook discourse readability among students with poor reading ability based on gender, reading interest, and family socio-economic status. Female students, students with high reading interest, students with well-educated mothers, students with parents earning more than seven million rupiahs (equals to USD480/month) were reported to have a higher textbook discourse readability. These findings suggest the importance of considering students’ individual characteristics and family socio-economic background in writing a textbook and designing reading instructions in junior high schools.

Keywords


poor reader; reading achievement; readability; textbook

Full Text:

PDF

References


Abuya, B. A., Mumah, J., Austrian, K., Mutisya, M., & Kabiru, C. (2018). Mothers’ education and girls’ Achievement in Kibera: The link with self-efficacy. SAGE Open, 8(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244018765608.

Abuya, B. A., Mutisya, M., & Ngware, M. (2015). Association between mothers’ education and grade six children numeracy and literacy in Kenya. Education 3-13, 43(6), 653-665. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2013.855250.

Abuya, B. A., Oketch, M., Mutisya, M., Ngware, M., & Ciera, J. (2013). Influence of mothers’ education on children’s maths achievement in Kenya. Education 3-13, 41(6), 633-646. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2011.631562.

Alharbi, A. (2015). A descriptive-evaluative study of a Saudi EFL textbook series. Cogent Education, 2(1), 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2015.1079946.

Alkhateeb, M. A. (2019). Semiotic characteristics of the 9th grade math textbook. Pedagogika, 136(4), 89-108. https://doi.org/10.15823/p.2019.136.6.

Araújo, L., & Costa, P. (2015). Home book reading and reading achievement in EU countries: The progress in international reading literacy study 2011 (PIRLS). Educational Research and Evaluation, 21(5-6), 422-438. https://doi.org/10.1080/13803611.2015.1111803.

Asakereh, A., Yousofi, N., & Weisi, H. (2019). Critical content analysis of English textbooks used in the Iranian education system: Focusing on ELF features. Issues in Educational Research, 29(4), 1016-1038. http://www.iier.org.au/iier29/asakereh.pdf.

Asplund, S.-B., & Pérez, H. P. (2018). Young working-class men do not read: Or do they? Challenging the dominant discourse of reading. Gender and Education, 30(8), 1048-1064. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540253.2017.1303825.

Baghaei, P. (2011). Do C-tests with different number of gaps measure the same construct? Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 1(6), 688-693. https://doi.org/10.4304/tpls.1.6.688-693.

Bansiong, A. J. (2019). Readability, content, and mechanical feature analysis of selected commercial science textbooks intended for third grade filipino learners. Cogent Education, 6(1), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2019.1706395.

Bargate, K. (2012). The readability of managerial accounting and financial management textbooks. Meditari Accountancy Research, 20(1), 4-20. https://doi.org/10.1108/10222521211234192.

Bouchamma, Y., Poulin, V., & Ruel, C. (2014). Impact of reading strategy use on girls’ and boys’ achievement. Reading Psychology, 35(4), 312-331. https://doi.org/10.1080/02702711.2012.724043.

Caputi, M., Lecce, S., & Pagnin, A. (2017). The role of mother–child and teacher–child relationship on academic achievement. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 14(2), 141-158. https://doi.org/10.1080/17405629.2016.1173538.

Cartwright, K. B., Marshall, T. R., & Wray, E. (2016). A longitudinal study of the role of reading motivation in primary students’ reading comprehension: Implications for a less simple view of reading. Reading Psychology, 37(1), 55-91. https://doi.org/10.1080/02702711.2014.991481.

Cekiso, M. (2016). Gender differences in the reading comprehension of grade three rural learners in South Africa. International Journal of Educational Sciences, 13(2), 247-254. https://doi.org/10.1080/09751122.2016.11890458.

Channa, L. A., Gilhooly, D., Channa, A. R., & Manan, S. A. (2017). Teaching English or producing docility? Foucauldian analysis of Pakistani state-mandated English textbooks. Cogent Education, 4(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2017.1283101.

Chen, A. C.-H. (2016). A critical evaluation of text difficulty development in ELT textbook series: A corpus-based approach using variability neighbor clustering. System, 58, 64-81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2016.03.011.

Cui, Y., Liu, H., & Zhao, L. (2019). Mother’s education and child development: Evidence from the compulsory school reform in China. Journal of Comparative Economics, 47(3), 669-692. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jce.2019.04.001.

Dennis, M. O. (2018). A comparison of readability and understandability in second language acquisition textbooks for pre-service EFL teachers. The Journal of AsiaTEFL, 15(3), 750-765. https://doi.org/10.18823/asiatefl.2018.15.3.12.750.

Denton, C. A., Wolters, C. A., York, M. J., Swanson, E., Kulesz, P. A., & Francis, D. J. (2015). Adolescents’ use of reading comprehension strategies: Differences related to reading proficiency, grade level, and gender. Learning and Individual Differences, 37, 81-95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2014.11.016.

Dolean, D. (2016). Enhancing the pre-literacy skills of roma children: The role of socio-economic status and classroom interventions in the development of phonemic awareness. The New Educational Review, 45(3), 39-51. https://doi.org/10.15804/tner.2016.45.3.04.

Dungworth, N., Grimshaw, S., Mcknight, C., & Morris, A. (2004). Reading for pleasure?: A summary of the findings from a survey of the reading habits of year 5 pupils. New Review of Children’s Literature and Librarianship, 10(2), 169-188. https://doi.org/10.1080/1361454042000312284.

Ehrtmann, L., & Wolter, I. (2018). The impact of students’ gender-role orientation on competence development in mathematics and reading in secondary school. Learning and Individual Differences, 61, 256-264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2018.01.004.

Ergül, C., Sarıca, A. D., Akoğlu, G., & Karaman, G. (2017). The home literacy environments of turkish kindergarteners: Does SES make a difference? International Journal of Instruction, 10(01), 187-202. https://doi.org/10.12973/iji.2017.10112a.

Ghani, A. A., Muslim, N. H., & Zakaria, M. N. (2020). The effects of gender and academic achievement on reading fluency among year 2 Malaysian school children. International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, 132, 109907. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijporl.2020.109907.

Francis, D. A., Caruana, N., Hudson, J. L., & McArthur, G. M. (2019). The association between poor reading and internalising problems: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 67, 45-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2018.09.002.

Green, C. (2019). A multilevel description of textbook linguistic complexity across disciplines: Leveraging NLP to support disciplinary literacy. Linguistics and Education, 53, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.linged.2019.100748.

Hamilton, E. W., Nolen, S. B., & Abbot, R. D. (2013). Developing measures of motivational orientation to read and write: A longitudinal study. Learning and Individual Differences, 28, 151-166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2013.04.007.

Han, J., & Gu, M. M. (2019). How is culture represented in textbooks? – “Marriage” in Korean language textbooks used in English-speaking countries. Cogent Education, 6(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2019.1632015.

Hochweber, J., & Vieluf, S. (2018). Gender differences in reading achievement and enjoyment of reading: The role of perceived teaching quality. The Journal of Educational Research, 111(3), 268-283. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.2016.1253536.

Hojeij, Z., Dillon, A. M., Perkins, A., & Grey, I. (2019). Selecting high quality dual language texts for young children in multicultural contexts: A UAE case. Issues in Educational Research, 29(4), 1201-1222. http://www.iier.org.au/iier.html.

Husain, F. M., Choo, J. C. S., & Singh, M. K. M. (2011). Malaysian mothers’ beliefs in developing emergent literacy through reading. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 29, 846-855. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.313.

Kasule, D. (2011). Textbook readability and ESL learners. Reading & Writing, 2(1), 63-76. https://doi.org/10.4102/rw.v2i1.13.

Law, Y-K. (2008). The relationship between extrinsic motivation, home literacy, classroom instructional practices, and reading proficiency in second-grade Chinese children. Research in Education, 80(1), 37-51. https://doi.org/10.7227/RIE.80.4.

Li, H. (2016). How is formative assessment related to students’ reading achievement? Findings from PISA 2009. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 23(4), 473-494. https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2016.1139543.

Lietz, P. (2006). A meta-analysis of gender differences in reading achievement at the secondary school level. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 32(4), 317-344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2006.10.002.

Liu, C., Georgiou, G. K., & Manolitsis, G. (2018). Modeling the relationships of parents’ expectations, family’s SES, and home literacy environment with emergent literacy skills and word reading in Chinese. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 43, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2017.11.001.

Logan, S., & Johnston, R. (2009). Gender differences in reading ability and attitudes: Examining where these differences lie. Journal of Research in Reading, 32(2), 199-214. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9817.2008.01389.x.

Loh, C. E., Sun, B., & Majid, S. (2019). Do girls read differently from boys? Adolescents and their gendered reading habits and preferences. English in Education, 54(2), 174-190. https://doi.org/10.1080/04250494.2019.1610328.

Malin, J. L., Cabrera, N. J., & Rowe, M. L. (2014). Low-income minority mothers’ and fathers’ reading and children’s interest: Longitudinal contributions to children’s receptive vocabulary skills. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 29(4), 425-432. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2014.04.010.

Mansor, A. N., Rasul, M. S., Rauf, R. A. A., & Koh, B. L. (2013). Developing and sustaining reading habit among teenagers. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 22(4), 357-365. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-012-0017-1.

McGeown, S. P. (2015). Sex or gender identity? Understanding children’s reading choices and motivation: Gender identity and reading choices. Journal of Research in Reading, 38(1), 35-46. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9817.2012.01546.x.

McGeown, S. P., Duncan, L. G., Griffiths, Y. M., & Stothard, S. E. (2015). Exploring the relationship between adolescent’s reading skills, reading motivation and reading habits. Reading and Writing, 28(4), 545-569. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-014-9537-9.

McGeown, S. P., Norgate, R., & Warhurst, A. (2012). Exploring intrinsic and extrinsic reading motivation among very good and very poor readers. Educational Research, 54(3), 309-322. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2012.710089.

McGeown, S. P., Osborne, C., Warhurst, A., Norgate, R., & Duncan, L. G. (2016). Understanding children’s reading activities: Reading motivation, skill and child characteristics as predictors: Children’s Reading Activities. Journal of Research in Reading, 39(1), 109-125. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9817.12060.

Mena, N. P. (2019). Teaching violence, drug trafficking and armed conflict in Colombian schools: Are history textbooks deficient? Issues in Education Research, 29(3), 899-922. http://www.iier.org.au/iier29/palacios.pdf.

Morales, B. C. (2019). Readability and types of questions in Chilean EFL high school textbooks. TESOL Journal, 11(2), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesj.498.

Moreno-Fernández, O., Moreno-Crespo, P., Pedrero-García, E., & Hunt-Gómez, C. I. (2019). Spanish first cycle primary school textbooks’ graphic representations. a study on gender, culture and functional diversity. Pedagogika, 136(4), 67-88. https://doi.org/10.15823/p.2019.136.5.

Mucherah, W., & Herendeen, A. (2013). Motivation for reading and upper primary school students’ academic achievement in reading in Kenya. Reading Psychology, 34(6), 569-593. https://doi.org/10.1080/02702711.2012.664249.

Mullis, I. V. S., Martin, M. O., & Foy, P. (Ed.). (2008). TIMSS 2007 international mathematics report: Findings form IEA’s trend in international mathematics and science study at the fourth and eighth grades. Chestnut Hill, MA: TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, Boston College.

Mullis, I. V. S., Martin, M. O., Foy, P., & Drucker, K. T. (Eds.). (2011). PIRLS 2011 international results in reading. Chestnut Hill, MA: TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, Boston College.

Mullis, I. V. S., Martin, M. O., Foy, P., & Hooper, M. (2018). PIRLS 2016 International Results in Reading. Chestnut Hill, MA: TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, Boston College.

Mwoma, T. (2017). Children’s reading ability in early primary schooling: Challenges for a Kenyan rural community. Issues in Educational Research, 27(2), 347-364. http://www.iier.org.au/iier27/mwoma.pdf.

Myrberg, E., & Rosén, M. (2008). A path model with mediating factors of parents’ education on students’ reading achievement in seven countries. Educational Research and Evaluation, 14(6), 507-520. https://doi.org/10.1080/13803610802576742.

Nandhini, K., & Balasundaram, S. R. (2016). Improving readability through individualized summary extraction, using interactive genetic algorithm. Applied Artificial Intelligence, 30(7), 635-661. https://doi.org/10.1080/08839514.2016.1196570.

Nasr, M., Bagheri, M. S., Sadighi, F., & Rassaei, E. (2019). Iranian EFL teachers’ assessment for learning practices and barriers: Do textbooks taught and teaching context matter? Cogent Arts & Humanities, 6(1), 1-28. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2019.1646691.

OECD. (2010). PISA 2009 results: What students know and can do: Student performance in Reading, Mathematics and Science (Volume I). Paris: Author. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264091450-en.

OECD. (2013). PISA 2012 results: What students know and can do – Student performance in Mathematics, Reading and Science (Volume I). Paris: Author. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264201118-en.

OECD. (2016). PISA 2015 results (Volume I): Excellence and equity in education. Paris: Author. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264266490-en.

OECD. (2019). PISA 2018 results (Volume I): What students know and can do. Paris: Author. https://doi.org/10.1787/5f07c754-en.

Pillay, J. (2017). The relationship between housing and children’s literacy achievement: Implications for supporting vulnerable children. South African Journal of Education, 37(2), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v37n2a1268.

Rashidi, N., Meihami, H., & Gritter, K. (2016). Hidden curriculum: An analysis of cultural content of the ELT textbooks in inner, outer, and expanding circle countries. Cogent Education, 3(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2016.1212455.

Rye, J. (1985). Cloze procedure and the teaching of reading. Oxford, UK: Heinemann Educational Books.

Sarroub, L. K., & Pernicek, T. (2016). Boys, books, and boredom: A case of three high school boys and their encounters with literacy. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 32(1), 27-55. https://doi.org/10.1080/10573569.2013.859052.

Schaffner, E., Schiefele, U., & Ulferts, H. (2013). Reading amount as a mediator of the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic reading motivation on reading comprehension. Reading Research Quarterly, 48(4), 369-385. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.52.

Schochet, O. N., Johnson, A. D., & Ryan, R. M. (2020). The relationship between increases in low-income mothers’ education and children’s early outcomes: Variation by developmental stage and domain. Children and Youth Services Review, 109, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104705.

Shah, M. A., Elyas, T., & Gu, M. M. (2019). TESOL at the crossroads: Representation of source cultures in TESOL textbooks. Cogent Education, 6(1), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2019.1643524.

Srisunakrua, T., & Chumworatayee, T. (2019). Readability of reading passages in english textbooks and the thai national education English test: A comparative study. Arab World English Journal, 10(2), 257-269. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol10no2.20.

Sultan, Haris, H., & Anshari. (2020). Functions and strategies to the integration of multicultural values in textbook discourse for elementary school students. Lingua Cultura, 14(1), 13-19. https://doi.org/10.21512/lc.v14i1.6219.

Trainer, R. (2006). A readability analysis of elementary level science textbook (Doctoral Dissertation, Florida Atlantic University]. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2006PhDT........51T/abstract.

Wang, D. (2016). Learning or becoming: Ideology and national identity in textbooks for international learners of Chinese. Cogent Education, 3(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2016.1140361.

Wang, X., Zhang, X.-Y., Zhu, R.-F., Xing, A.-H., & Kang, Z.-F. (2017). An investigation on compiling opinions on and suggestions for a biochemistry textbook from nursing undergraduates. Chinese Nursing Research, 4(3), 141-145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cnre.2017.04.003.

Wissing, G.-J., Blignaut, A. S., & van den Berg, K. (2016). Using readability, comprehensibility and lexical coverage to evaluate the suitability of an introductory accountancy textbook to its readership. Stellenbosch Papers In Linguistics, 46(2), 155-180. https://doi.org/10.5774/46-0-205.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.21831/cp.v39i3.32326

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Bookmark and Share


 

Social Media:

     

 

 Creative Commons License
Jurnal Cakrawala Pendidikan by Lembaga Pengembangan dan Penjaminan Mutu Pendidikan UNY is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at https://journal.uny.ac.id/index.php/cp/index.

Translator
 
 web analytics
View Our Stats