Abstract:
This paper discusses how the Coh-Metrix system was used to measure readability levels of comprehension texts
used by the teachers of English for classroom instruction at a junior secondary school. The researchers wanted to determine
if the comprehension texts match the readability level of students at this level of education. This is important because all the
students at the school are not native speakers of English. Therefore, they are learning English as a Second Language (ESL).
However, the authors of the majority of the English textbooks used in schools are native speakers of English.The study was
qualitative in design and five (5) comprehension passages used by English Language teachers for assessment purposes were
selected for this study. The data derived were analysed qualitatively. The results showed that random selection of English
Language comprehension texts without subjecting them to a readability test such as the Coh-Metrix may compromise the
quality of learning. The results also showed that the readability level of textbooks may contribute to the poor performance of
ESL learners and other subject areas.