Using a Readability Formula to Produce Multi‐Level Reading Texts

Abstract

48 The purpose of this paper is to outline the attitude of one publishing house, Drake Educational Associated Ltd., to the problem of generating reading texts of theoretically pre-determined difficulty by the use of a readability formula and to briefly describe the process by which such texts are originated with particular reference to the multi-level language development programme Language Centre 1. Language Centre 1 is one of a series of three boxed kits which cover the chronological ages 5-7, 7-9 and 9-11 respectively. Each kit contains a set of graded comprehension reading cards, a set of graded vocabulary skills development cards and a set of audio cassettes for developing listening skills. For the purpose of this paper, only the reading comprehension component will be considered. In setting out to publish a multi-level reading programme three basic premises are accepted as true. The first of these is that any learning group is going to be a mixed-ability group. This is particularly so in the primary school where streaming or setting has virtually disappeared. It is also the case in the lower years of many comprehensive schools where unstreaming is being introduced. Even where streaming or setting is attempted however, there is little practical possibility of achieving a completely matched set in which case the group remains of mixed ability even if the extremes of attainment are reduced to more manageable proportions.