Science textbook readability in Lebanon : a comparison between anglophone and francophone learning milieux

Abstract

Science subjects are taught in either English or French in the Lebanese high school system. In a strongly examination-driven system exhibiting parallel English and French science courses and textbooks, the issue arises as to whether the second language in which learning occurs has any determining effect on outcomes. This paper outlines an exploratory study involving the readability of the national Year 12 biology textbook using both Flesch and Cloze tests, and the reading strategies that students employ when reading science texts. On the whole, there did not appear to be any major differences between anglophone-medium and francophone-medium students with regard to the readability of the book, but the study raises questions which cast some doubt on the simplistic assumption that the choice of the second language makes no difference, particularly with regard to students’ reading strategies.