The texts they read matter: Examining new curriculum textual and lexical features of Grades 3 and 4 narrative and information textbooks used in Zimbabwean primary schools

Reading for comprehension is foundational to successful teaching and learning, particularly at the primary school level. Central to this process is the availability of appropriately levelled textbooks that support cognitive development. This study investigates the textual and lexical characteristics of Grades 3 and 4 narrative and informational textbooks currently used in Zimbabwean primary schools, with the aim of determining their readability and vocabulary demands. Employing the Flesch Reading Ease metric and the LexTutor Vocabulary Profiler, the analysis reveals that while the structural and lexical patterns of the sampled texts broadly conform to conventional school textbook design, significant misalignments with grade-level expectations persist. Informational texts were found to be disproportionately difficult for the intended learners, whereas narrative texts were substantially below the cognitive demands expected at those grade levels. Both scenarios raise critical pedagogical concerns: overly complex texts may engender learner frustration, while excessively simplified texts risk undermining academic engagement and intellectual growth. These findings underscore the urgent need for evidence-based criteria in the selection and approval of school textbooks. Recommendations are proposed for education policymakers and curriculum developers to ensure alignment between textbook content, learner cognitive capacity, and curricular goals