THE FRY READABILITY GRAPH

-- MEASURING THE READING LEVEL OF TEXTS

USED IN ELI CLASSES

Ellen Kohn & Laurie Miller

George Mason University ELI Learning Lunch February 12, 2008
Overview

What is Readability?
Why should ELI instructors measure it?

The Fry Readability Graph

How Can the Graph be Used to Measure ELI Texts?

Example

Try It
Our sample text
Your sample text

Use it
Readability

Definition

The factors that make some texts easier to read than

others (Dubay, 2004).

The sum total of those elements within a given piece of

printed material that affect the success a group of
readers have with it. The success is the extent to which
they understand it, read it at an optimal speed, and find
it interesting (Dale & Chall, 1949).
Readability

Why ELI instructors should measure it

Attemptto make a progressive curriculum with

measureable student outcomes at each level

Writing = ibT TOEFL Writing Scale; we have target scores

for each ELI level

Reading = we should use a measure of readability

To choose level appropriate texts for ELI classes
To measure student progress / proficiency at different ELI levels
The Fry Readability Graph

How it came into being

While Edward Fry was working as a

Fullbright scholar in Uganda trying to
help teachers teach English as a second
language, he created this popular
readability test that uses a graph.

Fry would go on to become the director

of the Reading Center of Rutgers
University and an authority on how
people learn to read.
The Fry Readability Graph

How to Use the Graph

Select samples of 100 words.

Find y (vertical), the average number of sentences per 100-word

passage (calculating to the nearest tenth).

Find x (horizontal), the average number of syllables per 100-word

sample.

The zone where the two coordinates meet shows the grade score.
The Fry Readability Graph
The Fry Readability Graph

Other Advice 1 Randomly select three 100- Few books will fall into
word passages from a book the solid black area,
or an article. but when they do,
grade level scores are
Plot the average number of invalid.
syllables and the average
number of sentences per
100 words on the graph to
determine the grade level
of the material.

Choose more passages per

book if great variability is
observed and conclude that
the book has uneven
readability.
The Fry Readability Graph
Other Advice 2
Randomly select three
sample passages and
count exactly 100 words
beginning with the
beginning of a sentence.
Don't count numbers. Do
count proper nouns.
Count the number of
sentences in the hundred
words, estimating length
of the fraction of the last
sentence to the nearest
1/10th.
Count the total number Graph the average
of syllables in the 100- sentence length and
word passage. If you number of syllables;
don't have a hand plot dot where the
counter available, an two lines intersect.
easy way is to simply
put a mark above Area where dot is
every syllable over one plotted will give you
in each word, then, the approximate
when you get to the grade level. If a
end of the passage, great deal of
count the number of variability is found,
marks and add 100. putting more sample
counts into the
average is desirable.
Using the Fry Readability Graph

Example 1 Lauries World Bank Article

Use online syllable, word, sentence analysis tool @

http://www.online-utility.org/english/readability_test_and_improve.jsp
to get
Sentences per 100 words
Syllables per 100 words

Plot numbers on Fry Graph

Using the Fry Readability Graph
100 words from the sample text:
Using the Fry Readability Graph
Results from Online Text Readability website:
 Using the Fry Readability Graph
Results from Online Text Readability plotted on the Fry Graph:

5
sentences Fry Level 12

163 syllables
Try It
Sample Text

Text You Brought

Use It
Measure at least 3 texts used in class

Check ELI Curriculum Guidelines

tosee if the texts you are using are the recommended Fry
reading level for your class find texts @ your level

Conduct an assessment of student reading of these texts

tosee if students are able to read @ the target level for
your class

Retain records
Curriculum modification/validation
The Future
Keep trying!
We are trying to develop a curriculum that promotes
advancing student skills with measureable outcomes &
we need instructor help to validate the current reading
outcomes @ each level

Software

References / Resources

Adamovic, Mladen. (2006). Online Text Readability. Available @

http://www.online-utility.org/english/readability_test_and_improve.jsp

Deal, Justen. (2006, January 3). Reproducible Fry Graphs. Available @

http://justendeal.com/blog/2006/01/03/reproducible-fry-graphs/

DuBay, William. (2004). The Principles of Readability. Available @

http://www.impact-information.com/impactinfo/readability02.pdf

Johnson, Keith. (1998). Readability: Measuring the Reading Age of Books and
Other Reading Matter. Available @ http://www.timetabler.com/reading.html

Long, Martyn . (2000). The Fry Readability Program (online). Available @

http://www.educational-psychologist.co.uk/fry_readability_program.htm

More on next slide

References / Resources

Schrock, Kathleen. (2008). Teacher Helpers: Fry Readability Graph: Directions for
Use. Available @ http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/fry/fry.html

Taylor, Dave. (2007). Readability Scores for Web pages and Microsoft Word
documents in a flash! Available @ http://www.readability.info/
THE END

Ellen Kohn & Laurie Miller

George Mason University ELI Learning Lunch February 12, 2008