Evaluating the Readability of English Instructional Materials in Pakistani Universities: A Deep Learning and Statistical Approach
Muhammad Saqlain
Abstract
In educational settings of Pakistan, where English is utilized as the primary medium of instruction but not as an official language, the assessment of instructional text readability is crucial. This research investigates the impact of text readability on student comprehension and achievement by integrating deep learning methods with mathematical and statistical approaches. It has been observed that when suitably trained, deep learning models exhibit a significant correlation with human assessments of text readability. The investigation further illuminates the linguistic and structural elements influencing readability. Such insights are instrumental for educators and content developers in establishing standards to craft more accessible educational materials. Emphasis is placed on the exploration of Advanced Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques, the incorporation of multilingual models, and the refinement of curricular structures to enhance readability assessments. Additionally, the study underscores the necessity of engaging with educational policymakers in Pakistan to implement accessibility guidelines. These efforts aim to reduce linguistic barriers, amplify student potential, and foster an inclusive educational ecosystem. The findings and methodologies presented in this study offer a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and solutions in optimizing English language instructional materials for non-native speakers, with potential applications in diverse multilingual educational contexts.