Research in the United States of America has illustrated that boys are not doing as well as their counterpart, the girls. However,this phenomenon is not restricted to the United States alone but is a universal challenge; one that needs urgent attention and intervention.
Bill Brozo, 2010 believes that for boys to engage in reading practices that will stimulate and improve their reading competencies and achievements; their experiences must enable them to participate in meaningful reading activities that matter to them. Bill Brozo, 2010, went on to state that boys seldom read during the summer vacation when there are a host of outdoor activities going on right before their eyes. At present there are several music and sporting camps being offered by varying ministries aligned with governmental and non-governmental organizations. Among the activities being offered are football, table and lawn tennis, cricket and Pan in the Classroom.
Bill Brozo, 2010 in his article articulated that males are less motivated to read than girls and their reading attainment is significantly lower than girls in virtually every state in the United States of America. He also stated that encouraging reading among boys may seem daunting but it is a critical goal.
He ,(Brozo), believes that the only way for one to overcome this dilemma is to capitalize on the interest of boys. Once the males are not marginalized in one way or the other they will develop and foster a love and appreciation for reading. Educators need to pay attention to the materials that they select for boys to read. The articles, books or other genre must connect with the interest and previous knowledge of the male students. In other words there must be a marriage of association, where the students must be able to link their experiences and knowledge with the articles about to be read or read.
As a reading teacher, I would do an interest inventory for all readers (both males and females) and match the reading material selected with their levels, interests and needs. For example vary the materials read by both the boys and girls and allow them to share their readings via group activities, podcasts, story boards, blogs, wikis or graphic organizers. These reading could include newspapers, instruction manuals on phones and other interested devices. Once the reading activity and materials are interested, purposeful, motivational, empowering and engaging, our male clientele will improve rapidly in their reading endeavours.
In my reflection I can align myself to the perils of the boys due to the fact that, if the material presented to me for reading is not interested or purposeful; I do have a hard time reading and extracting the information from within it.
Nicole,
ReplyDeleteI see you are genuinely interested in boys and their lack of interest in reading.I did not know that a Gender Gap exists until I saw it in my Second Year class.Then we have to wonder how many teachers pay attention to the reading situation in their class.A motivational chart made me aware that the girls were reading more than the boys.
According to Smith and Wilhelm in Reading Don't Fix No Chevy's: Literacy in the Lives of Young Men. Boys have different reading preferences than girls. These preferences include:
1. Boys tend to read informational texts, magazines, and newspaper articles.
2. Boys are more inclined to read graphic novels and comic books.
Therefore, as teachers we should provide the materials to encourage boys to read and allow them to choose their texts.
Miss Henry,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your post but I believe that as teachers there is much that we can do to change the status of reading motivation for our male students. In my class I make reading a priority.I start each term off by ensuring that I include numerous literacy activities that require full student participation. I structure these activities with emphasis on variety. I do in-class literacy activities as well as out of class ones e.g. book reviews, character for a day, reporter for a day, story telling, drama, etc. I also award prizes for students who read more that six books a term. I always take a newspaper to school and it serves to grab their attention. They like the idea of borowing "Miss newspaper" and it always delights me when they squabble over who gets it first. At the end of my class, I am assured that although all my students would not develop a love for reading, they all certainly leave with a greater appreciation for reading. But I have a confession: I am an avid reader and I believe that my attidute to reading tranfers to my students, even my boys. Students really look up to thier teachers and model our behaviour. We should lead by example, we read, they read. And I fully endorse that they should be allowed to choose what they read as well as be encouraged to read new material.