Using Entropy to Measure Text Readability in Bahasa Malaysia for Year One Students

Abstract

Text readability is essential for effective learning and communication, especially for beginner readers. However, there are no known measures to calculate the readability of Bahasa Malaysia, the national language of Malaysia. This research proposes a new method based on entropy, a measure of information and uncertainty, to assess the readability of Bahasa Malaysia texts for Year One students. An experiment was conducted with six Year One students to determine the relationship between entropy and readability. The results indicated a positive correlation, suggesting that higher entropy values corresponded with lower readability for this age group. This study also revealed the need for beginner readers to focus on the text difficulty level to enhance learning.