The Role of Readability in Science Education in Ghana: A Readability Index Analysis of Ghana Association of Science Teachers Textbooks for Senior High School

Abstract

The study investigated the readability of science textbooks for senior high schools in Ghana. Survey research design was employed for the study. Using stratified sampling technique, a sample size of 300 SHS 1, 2 and 3 students were drawn from five senior high schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana. Gunning Fog and Cloze Test readability indexes were used to examine the difficulty level of the Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Integrated Science textbooks for senior high schools, written by the Ghana Association of Science Teachers. Findings of the study revealed that, on the average, the books are difficult to read. The study further showed that the Integrated Science textbook is the most difficult among the textbooks, followed by the Physics textbook. The study concludes by proffering the following recommendations: long sentences and multi-syllable words in these books should be reformulated into smaller structures for easy understanding; and the Ghana association of Science Teachers should write more simplified text materials that can improve readership and understanding.