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Language Skills-II (5660)

3 Sunday Tutorial Meeting

31st March, 2013
Facilitator: Rustam

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Agenda for the 3rd Meeting Unit 7

Reading-Definition Text and the Reader ( Readability of the Text & Reading Ability of the Reader)

TEXT: Types of Reading Texts

Interest Level and the Reader (Activity) Readability/Difficulty of a Text/Clarity of a Text: Brainstorming Session Factors rendering a Text Difficult: Sentence Length, Multi Syllabic Words, Marked Expressions, Text-splitting 1. Sentence Length: Complex/Compound Sentences 2. Multi-Syllabic Words 3. Marked Expressions Unmarked Expressions: Characteristics
Basic, Kernel, Independent, Non Elliptical, Declarative, Positive Active-Passive, Cleft-Non Cleft, Existential-Non Existential, Fronted Non fronted

4. Text-Splitting: Right Justification of printed text Sense Group Splitting ( He will be getting/ married next month) Word Splitting (toge/ther or to/gether or togeth/er) Splitting of Digraphs ( s-ould, -hey, p-one, st-am, stan) Readability Testing Tools: Clarity Index & Cloze Test Clarity Index: Practice Session Clarity Index Formula Cloze Test ( Deleting words from a text and asking the reader to guess) Cloze Test Creator http://l.georges.online.fr/tools/cloze.html (Online Free Tool)

READER & Reading Ability

Levels of Comprehension: Literal, Inferential, Evaluative

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Marked-Unmarked Contrast
(Generally, marked expressions turn a text difficult to read)
Unmarked Positive Declarative Active Non Cleft Non-Existential Non Fronted Non-Elliptical Independent Basic Words Basic Words Basic Words Example They were helpful You are generous My brother wrote the letter They invited Ali. Two policemen are at the door. I have bought the tickets. Have you got a calculator? He is ill. run walk meet Marked Negative Imperative Interrogative Exclamative Passive Cleft Existential Fronted Elliptical Subordinated Marked Words Marked Words Marked Expression Example They were not helpful Be generous Are you generous? How generous you are! The letter was written by my brother It was Ali they invited. There are two policemen at the door. Tickets I have bought Got a calculator? Either he is ill or he has overslept To take to the heels, make off, Stroll, march, stride, promenade, pace Call on, run into, chance upon, bump into

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Clarity Index (Fog Index)

Online Available: http://www.neilstoolbox.com/clarity-index/ The clarity index is based on word and sentence length. If a writer eliminates long words and long sentences without changing meaning, writing becomes clearer.

Formula
1. First mark the boundaries of sentences in the text using brackets. 2. Label the sentences as 1,2,3,4,5. 3. Count the words in each sentence and write in the table as shown below: Sentence No 1 2 3 4 5 Total Sentences: 5 Words in a sentence 40 25 15 30 10 Total Words: 120

4. Total Words: A Total Sentences: B 5. Find the average length of the sentence (C) : Total Words Total No of Sentences C = A/B
(Ideal 15 Words)

6. Underline and count the words having more than two syllables (D) 7. Find the average of multi Syllable Words: (E): Total 3-Syllabic Words Total Words 100
8. E= D/A 100 ( Ideal 15 %) Add C and E to find the clarity Index Clarity Index = Average Length of the sentence + Average 3-Syllabic Words Clarity Index = C + E ( Ideal 30 Aim for 20-40) Readability/Clarity of a Text Use the following Rules of thumb for the clarity index: Below 20, writing is too abrupt Over 40, writing is difficult to understand. Aim for an index of 30.

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Find the Clarity Index of the following Paragraph 1. The NASA planned the lunar programme, called Project Apollo, for putting Americans on the moon.15 2. After an expenditure of about $7,000 million, the labour of about 300,000 technicians and workers, the research and experiments of thousands of scientists, designers, engineers and technologists, and the cooperation of about 20,000 manufacturing companies, Apollo 11 was ready for takeoff on Cape Kennedy launching pad on the 16th of July, 1969. 54 3. In the Capsule at the top of the 110.64 metre spacecraft were three astronauts, Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins. 18 4. At 9.30 (American time), it rose with a thunderous noise from the launching pad and began its historic journey to put the first man on the moon. 27 Total Sentences = 4 Total Words = 114 Average Words per Sentence = 114 4 = 28.5 3-Syllabic Words = 23 Percentage of 3-Syllabic Words = 23114100 = 20.17 Clarity Index = 28.50 + 20.17 = 48.67 = 49 Ideal Range: 20-40 Mid Point: 30 Result: The text is too difficult to read Implication: Scientific Exposition is difficult to read Remedy: Shorter words and sentences should be used while writing. Clarity Index 1. What does a clarity index of 34 mean as far as readability is concerned? 14 2. What does it relate to? 5 3. In addition to the standard of the average 16 year old in his L1,it is the level many British newspapers set themselves. 23 4. We can, therefore, consider 34 to be more or less appropriate level for the kind of exchange of information with you that we hope to achieve in these units.29 5. Obviously different parts of a text will vary in their level of readability since sentence length will not be constant and longer words are often unavoidable. 26 6. Incidentally, the clarity index of this paragraph is 32. 9 Total Sentences= 6 Total Words = 106 Sentence Length= 106 6 = 17.66 3-Syllabic Words = 16 %age of Longer Words = 16 106 100 =15.09
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Clarity Index = 17.66 + 15.09 =

32.75 = 33

Standard Range: 20-40 Mid Point 30 The text having Clarity Index of 33 is readable I ran to the wash basin, drank some of the water in the jug and poured the rest over my head. Then I sat down in a chair and tried to calm myself. I soon felt bitter. My first thought was to protect my money. I looked under the bed and into the cupboard. Then I examined the window fastening. After locking the door, I pushed a heavy table against it. Then I put the bundle of money under my pillow and lay down on the bed. I soon felt I could not go to sleep. I could not even close my eyes. A. B. C. D. E. F. Total Sentences __________ Total Words = __________ Average Words per Sentence ___________ (B/A) 3-Syllabic Words _________ Percentage of 3-Syllabic Words _________ (D/B 100) Clarity Index __________ ( C + E)

Ideal Range: 20-40 Mid Point: 30 Result: ___________________________ ( Easy to read, Too difficult to read etc)

Find the Clarity Index of the Following Paragraph Marked expressions are words, phrases or grammatical patterns which are a little out of the ordinary. They all carry some special or extra meaning over and above their unmarked partners. An example of a marked grammatical pattern is the unusual syntax illustrated by the sentence Down the hill ran the thief. Here are few more examples: I have lost my watch, cried Shagufta. In came the headmaster in a towering rage. The teacher threw open the window. If a text contains longer sentences, too many multi syllabic words, marked expressions or unsuitable splitting of text, it will present readability problem. Materials writers need to write simple text. We as teachers should select interesting and easy to read text for our students.