ABSTRACT
The goal of reading instruction is to ensure that students are able to make meaning from texts independently, and text complexity has become a significant instructional concern as it often forms a barrier as students attempt to access challenging material, negatively influencing their academic achievement across content areas and beyond the elementary grades. Text complexity, itself, can be measured by three key components: quantitative factors, qualitative factors, and the reader. The quantitative aspect of complex text typically rests on semantics (the length of words within the passage) and syntax (the number of words in sentences within the passage). Qualitative factors encompass an author's writing style and word choice, text features, genre, and demonstration of themes embedded in the text. It is, however, the reader who tends to influence most significantly how complex a text may be based on their motivation and interest and thus transforms text complexity into a unique and personal experience for every reader.
