Enhancing L2 Writing Pedagogy Through AntWordProfiler and Flesch Reading Score Analyses of Vocabulary and Readability

Vocabulary level illustrates the depth and breadth of lexical knowledge and competence, while readability refers to how accessible the written text is to a larger and more diverse audience. This cross-sectional descriptive-correlation study aimed to identity the vocabulary level and readability of students written output and their relationship, which both have implications to writing pedagogy. Characteristics of 35 participants’ vocabulary level were analyzed using AntWordProfiler, while the readability of their written output was analyzed using Flesch Reading Ease Score. Results showed that the vocabulary level of all students involved in the study is within the elementary level or Level 1. However, there are also characteristics of Level 2, 3, and 5 observed. Meanwhile, the readability of majority of the participants’ written output are aligned with their current grade level – college. Correlation analysis between vocabulary level and readability rendered strong positive, significant correlation between Level 1 and readability, and in contrast, strong negative, significant correlation between Level 3 and readability. Implications were drawn from the results for the development of a proposed Integrated Lexical-Discourse Approach to Writing that may serve as guiding principles for writing instruction.