Boys and Reading

Reluctant (primarily male) Readers

The fact that any significant group of people is having a harder time reading than another group is a problem worth examining, but the question of whether this is more of an issue because it is boys who are behind is also worth examining.  In the Watson, Kehler, Martino article, the authors cite Titus who says that a problem like this “creates moral panic because boys cannot be the ‘second sex’.” (Titus as cited in Watson, et. al.)  Does this issue get more exposure because more people are concerned with boys being behind in something than with girls falling behind?  Is there equal outrage when boys outperform girls in math, science, or sports?  Or is the skill of reading so very fundamental, so totally critical, that it is the reading difference that creates this “outrage,” and not the gender difference?  I can’t be sure, but I am hopeful that the latter is true.  Reading is such a critical skill; every academic school subject and many life skills depend upon a foundation of reading.

In terms of promoting reading to boys—to anyone, really, and especially to any reluctant readers—the findings in the Farris, et. al. article seem logical and effective.  We have talked in this class and I have had many discussions among English teachers about the power of letting young readers choose what they read.  It is human nature to be more committed to something that we perceive as having opted in for.  The additional recommendations of having many nonfiction titles available as well as titles with plenty of graphics and “textual features” such as varied fonts and white space on the page are also factors that make books more appealing to many of these readers.  Another interesting finding from this research is that the weaker the reader, the more likely he/she is to read a selection based on a passage that a teacher reads aloud in class.  That means teachers (and librarians) should choose these selections carefully, knowing that they may well be the only titles that some of these readers will pursue.

Also noted in this research was the interaction that these young students had with adults, and how motivating these higher-level conversations seemed to be for the younger readers.  This is such an interesting point.   It implies that, if young people are given an opportunity to engage in a meaty conversation about a book, they will often rise to that occasion.  This had the added benefit of leaving the younger readers eager to read more and, presumably, discuss other titles as well.  That is exactly the goal—to get these folks reading critically and curious for more.

Sources:

Watson, A., et. al., The problem of boys' literacy underachievement: Raising some questions. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy v. 53 no. 5 (February 2010) p. 356-61.

Farris, P. J., et. al., Male call: Fifth-grade boys' reading preferences. The Reading Teacher v. 63 no. 3 (November 2009) p. 180-8.

St. Jarre, K. R. Don't blame the boys: We're giving them girly books. English Journal; Jan 2008; 97, 3. pg. 15

Sax, L. The boy problem. School Library Journal v. 53 no. 9 (September 2007) p. 40-3

 

Reading Log--Week 4

Reading Log—Week 4 (Feb. 16-22)

The readings this week focused on special populations among tweens, particularly LGBTQ, runaways, lower socioeconomic groups, and the distinct reading struggles of tween boys.  They remind us that, though there are many shared feelings and developmental milestones among tweens, their individual experiences and needs vary wildly.  

The first New York Times article, “Coming Out in Middle School,” was both encouraging and frustrating.  The author points out the increasingly positive portrayals of gay characters in the media and popular culture as an indicator of a broader acceptance of the gay population.  I agree with this, though I do worry that my perception may be skewed since I live in an area—the Bay Area in California—that is much more progressive than many areas of the country.  Still, if media representation is a sign of anything, perhaps the less frequent token portrayals of gay characters is a step in the right direction. 

Two things about this article really trouble me, however.  One is when the author notes that, “for many gay youth, middle school is more survival than learning.”  This is tragic.  A middle school student should have to worry about how to get his homework done, how to find a best friend, perhaps, but not how to survive.  When a young person’s basic needs are not met, how on earth is he going to worry about something as seemingly irrelevant as school?

Another troubling part of this article is the observation that teacher reactions to anti-gay language in the classroom (most notably, students calling other students “gay” to mean stupid or inferior) are inconsistent.  It seems that homophobia is still, to some degree, an acceptable form of oppression.  Most teachers I know would not tolerate a comment in class that was sexist or racist, but I know that some do ignore the derogatory “gay” comments.  What effect does it have on a homosexual tween to hear that word bandied about in such a negative way, and then to have that use condoned by adults?

The LGBTQ and runaway tweens are both populations that are especially vulnerable and potentially high-risk, depending on the support systems they may have.  I am curious how many runaway teens are on the run because they are LGBTQ and lack a supportive network; I am sure those populations intersect at times.

The notion of socioeconomic class in the “What a Girl Wants” online discussion was interesting.  I have noticed, as many of the authors in this discussion point out, that books that feature more affluent characters tend to stand out to me.  These characters do not have to struggle with some issues that many, many young people do, and that lack of struggle makes it hard for many readers to identify with them.  The most interesting stories that feature more affluent characters, in my opinion, are those that include contrasting characters who come from more blue collar backgrounds.  I think that is something that a wider reading audience can relate to.

In terms of librarianship, it is so important to be ever mindful that young readers have many different experiences, backgrounds, and needs.  Whether it is building a collection that is appealing and relevant to them, or helping a young person with a reference interview, librarians have special opportunities to help young readers navigate through these critical years.

Sources:

Coming Out in Middle School (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/magazine/27out-t.html?_r=1&hpw)

Running in the Shadows (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/26/us/26runaway.html)

What a Girl Wants #7 (http://www.chasingray.com/archives/2009/09/what_a_girl_wants_7_because_we.html)

Packaging Boyhood (http://www.ypulse.com/author-spotlight-packaging-boyhood-by-mark-tappan-lyn-brown-sharon-lamb)

Reading Log--Week 2

Many decisions about the logistics of schools (starting and ending times, school calendar, configuration of grades) are made because of factors other than developmental needs of students.  Sometimes, the decisions actually contradict the needs of the students.  The pushing up of young people from elementary to secondary going from largely happening at ninth grade to moving up to the sixth grade was a result of crowded schools, not needs of students.

In the district where I teach, this conversation recently bubbled up anew.  Severe budget constraints led the district leadership to propose a new 7-12 model, rather than the existing 6-8 and 9-12 model we now have.  The benefit would be savings in closing middle schools, but there was enormous community uproar.  The leadership team presented research that says fewer transitions are much better for secondary students (which is consistent with the research presented in this week’s reading by Simmons and Blyth in “Focus on the Wonder Years”).  When community resistance to this model reached fever pitch, the leadership team changed course and dropped the 7-12 proposal.  One wonders why they would do that if they were truly convinced that it would be better for students to pursue that option.

The findings of the Carnegie research from 1989 were especially disturbing: A volatile mismatch exists between the organization and curriculum of middle grades schools, and the intellectual, emotional, and interpersonal needs of young adolescents.” (Rand, p. 14)

Another topic from this week’s readings that I find fascinating is the influence that ‘tweens can have on retailers.  They wield enormous buying power, as noted in Hulbert’s New York Times article.  I wonder to what degree parental guilt may play into this.  Parents of tweens today frequently had children at an older age than their own parents did, and many of them are at a different (perhaps more time-consuming) point in their careers than their parents were.  Certainly, more of them live in two-career households than their parents did.  These extra demands on their time can create a lot of guilt when it comes to having children and having enough time and attention for them.  Many parents have more money than they do time, and they are willing to spend freely on their children if it seems to make them happy.

Sources:

Focus on the Wonder Years, Chapter 2
http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2004/RAND_MG139.pdf

Hulbert, A. (2004, November). Tweens 'R' Us. New York Times Magazine, November 28, 2004.
Available http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/28/magazine/28WWLN.html

Jayson, S. (2009, February 4). It's cooler than ever to be a tween, but is childhood lost? USA Today.
Available http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-02-03-tweens-behavior_N.htm

Tween Summit website (http://www.tweensummit.com/)