Effects of Typeface, Type Size, and Prior Knowledge on the Reading Time and Comprehension of Elementary School Students

The visual presentation of textbook materials is critical in shaping the learning process. This study examined the effects of typeface, type size, and prior knowledge on students’ reading time and comprehension. Sixty seventh- and eighth-grade students read history passages from an eighth-grade textbook printed in two typefaces (Times New Roman and Helvetica) and two sizes (9 pt and 11 pt). Helvetica at 11 pt yielded the fastest reading times, and Times New Roman at 9 pt was the second fastest, suggesting that the efficiency depends on the combination of typeface and type size. Comprehension was measured using five post-reading questions and was influenced by the type size only, with larger sizes producing higher scores. Prior knowledge significantly enhanced the comprehension of new content, whereas gender and overall academic performance did not. The results highlight the importance of typographic choices and support the consideration of typeface–size combinations and learners’ prior knowledge when developing educational materials. These findings provide applied evidence for evidence-based design decisions in educational publishing and the development of instructional materials.