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Article published In: Emerging Issues in Content-Based Minority Language Immersion Education Contexts
Edited by Laurent Cammarata and Pádraig Ó Duibhir
[Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education 13:1] 2025
► pp. 123–137

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The readability of books for immersion schools

Understanding the role of text complexity, context and literary aspects

ORCiD logo with link | University of Calgary
 | University of Calgary
 | University of Calgary
Published online: 6 December 2024
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/jicb.24001.dre
Abstract
Few books are available to support reading instruction in minority language immersion programs. Since North American teachers provide children with a choice of books scaffolded in difficulty and suited to their interests, they must resort to creating or adapting their own minority language materials, networking, or spending hours online or in bookstores. A more systematic approach would be based on an interdisciplinary understanding of the concept of readability. We focus on German as a minority language in North America and examined research published in both German and English to develop a conceptual framework of readability as comprising text complexity, context, and literary aspects. Using this framework, we conceptualize a research program for investigating readability of books in minority languages. This research program would be language-specific, but adaptable to other minority languages, thereby serving as a call to action for researchers interested in the readability of books.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.German children’s books
  • 3.Conceptualizing readability
    • 3.1Text complexity
    • 3.2Context
    • 3.3Literary aspects
  • 4.A research program for readability
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
References (72)
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