Boys Literacy

How do we get our boys to see themselves as readers?              

As reported in:

Me read? No way! A practical guide to improving boy's literacy skills. (n.d.).
     Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca, boys are lagging behind girls when it comes to reading.

• Results of standardized tests  (EQAO, OSSLT) show that boys are not acheiving as well as girls in reading and writing.
• More boys than girls declare themselves to be non-readers. 

What can we do about it? 

According to Me read? And how! Ontario teachers report on how to improve boys' literacy skills. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca. Here are some suggestions:

➔ Have the right stuff: Choosing appropriate classroom resources for boys ➔ Help make it a habit: Providing frequent opportunities to read and write ➔ Teach with purpose: Understanding boys’ learning styles ➔ Embrace the arts: Using the arts to bring literacy to life ➔ Let them talk: Appealing to boys’ need for social interaction ➔ Find positive role models: Influencing boys’ attitudes through the use of role models ➔ Read between the lines: Bringing critical-literacy skills into the classroom ➔ Keep it real: Making reading and writing relevant to boys ➔ Get the Net: Using technology to get boys interested in literacy ➔ Assess for success: Using appropriate assessment tools for boys ➔ Be in their corner: The role of the teacher in boys’ literacy ➔ Drive the point home: Engaging parents in boys’ literacy ➔ Build a school-wide focus: Building literacy beyond the classroom

This TED talk provides some excellent ideas: