Post #5: Boys & Literacy

Nicole Senn's article, "Effective Approaches to Motivate and Engage Reluctant Boys in Literacy," highlights several important notions about gender differences in the classroom that all teachers should be aware of. Issues such as brain development, metabolism, motivation and confidence, and lack of male model readers, among many others, all contribute to boys' rejection of reading and writing as "cool" and their reluctance to engage in literacy-related activities.

As Senn points out, "boys have a tendency to evaluate books strictly on their appearance. Attention-grabbing cover designs, easy-to-read text, large print, large areas of 'white space,' photographs, frequent illustrations, and short length are all characteristics that boys find appealing" (217).

In my 4th grade practicum classroom library, my cooperating teacher has made several books available that, according to the standards that Senn outlines, appeal to boys. Among these boy-friendly texts are several copies of Guinness World Record books, spanning from 2001 - 2013. These shiny hardcover collections of captioned record-breaking photographs, however, cause quite a commotion in the classroom that prohibits authentic reading from taking place. Whenever my cooperating teacher allows the class to read independently, I can always count on the girls (and a few select boys) to pull a Little House on the Prairie or Diary of a Wimpy Kid book out of their desks, while eight or more boys rush over to the shelf with the collection of Guinness books. This group of unruly readers typically spends the entire independent reading period fighting (both verbally and physically) over the brand new 2013 edition, who gets to look at the picture of the world's longest snake first, and whose turn it is to sit in the rocking chair while paging through pictures of freakishly large and small body parts. While I wish I could say that I am pleased by these boys' "passion" for reading, in reality, these Guinness books are only promoting "non-reading" in the classroom.

Instead of addressing the "Guinness dilemma" with threats of taking away recess time (which is a terrible idea, as these boys clearly need an outlet for their energy, possibly even more so than girls do due to their characteristically faster metabolic rate, as Senn notes), perhaps my cooperating teacher could redirect the boys' excitement over the Guinness books towards something productive. For example, she could assign the class to write a news article about one of the world records, a biography of a record-breaker, or a creative piece about how a record-breaker earned his or her title. The boys' motivation, which Senn regards as the "single, crucial element" in getting boys to read, is actually present. These boys simply need to be guided through the process of having meaningful interactions with the text, rather than using the heavy metallic books to shield themselves from pencil spears and ruler swords.

Fortunately, the Guinness books are only one example of "boy books" in the classroom. My cooperating teacher, who has an elementary-age son of her own, has introduced a series called Guys Read which includes volumes of short stories full of humor and action - two elements that Senn deems attractive to boys. Most mornings begin with the teacher or myself reading aloud an excerpt from a Guys Read book. It is during this time that the rambunctious Guinness fighters calm down, and actually listen to and enjoy the satirical adventures that Jon Scieszka (the genius creator and author of Guys Read) has crafted. Whether it's the silly plot lines, the relatable male characters, or simply the title of the series that alludes to male acceptance of literacy, every single boy (and girl!) seems to thoroughly enjoy hearing these stories. Many boys have even gone on to check out a Guys Read book from the school library after exposure to these entertaining vignettes.

Whether it's through an interactive text-based writing assignment or a Guys Read story, there are many ways to address the "anti-literacy" phenomenon that many boys experience. As Senn states in her article, "teachers of literacy hope to instill in their students a love of reading and writing. Boys can be the most difficult of students with whom to accomplish this goal, but when teachers look at literacy from a boy's perspective, they can begin teaching in ways that will motivate boys to want to read and write" (220). As a future teacher of literacy, I will be sure to plan instruction that appeals to both boys and girls, through selecting appropriate and relatable texts, incorporating model readers of both genders, and creating assignments that offer choice and an outlet for energy and exploration.