READABILITY LEVELS OF TEXTS IN FOURTH GRADE TURKISH TEXTBOOKS AND READING COMPREHENSION

DÖRDÜNCÜ SINIF TÜRKÇE DERS KİTAPLARINDAKİ METİNLERİN OKUNABİLİRLİK DÜZEYLERİ VE OKUDUĞUNU ANLAMA

Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the readability levels of texts in fourth-grade Turkish textbooks using different readability formulas and to determine fourth-grade students’ reading comprehension levels regarding these texts. The research was conducted using the descriptive survey method. Since the relationship between two different variables was examined, the study was designed within a correlational survey model. When the Ateşman Readability Formula and students’ mean reading comprehension scores were compared, it was observed that students achieved the highest scores on the text classified as “difficult,” whereas they obtained the lowest scores on the text classified as being of moderate difficulty. In comparisons involving the Çetinkaya–Uzun Readability Formula and students’ mean comprehension scores, students received the highest scores on texts categorized as having an “insufficient readability level (10th–12th grades),” while lower scores were obtained from texts at the educational level (8th–9th grades). Similarly, when the readability levels determined by the Bezirci–Yılmaz Readability Formulas were compared with students’ mean comprehension scores, it was found that students achieved the highest scores on texts at the undergraduate level, while they scored the lowest on texts targeted for primary education grade levels. According to the Sönmez Understandability (Readability) Formulas, students obtained the highest scores on the text classified as “understandable with assistance,” whereas lower scores were recorded for texts classified as “understandable.” Additionally, using the Flesch–Kincaid Readability Formulas, although all three texts were at a university-graduate readability level, they nevertheless produced both the highest and lowest comprehension scores. Based on these findings, no relationship was identified between the readability levels of the texts and students’ reading comprehension levels. However, a significant difference was found between students’ total comprehension scores and the educational levels of their mothers and fathers. The study recommends that texts selected for textbooks be examined in terms of readability, that the existing readability formulas be revised or redeveloped to align with the linguistic structure of Turkish, that research be conducted to analyze the relationship between students’ reading comprehension skills and readability formulas, and that further readability studies be carried out to contribute to the related literature.