Boys and Literacy: Exploring the IssuesIn recent years the issue of boys and literacy, namely that they are worse at it compared to girls, has become a key area of interest to all those concerned with the education of our children. This book highlights the key factors causing this divide and discusses the implementation of new strategies to overcome it, which have been the result of extensive qualitative research made by the author. Trisha Maynard reports case study findings of a primary school whose staff wanted to explore and improve boys' attitudes towards and attainment in literacy, and in particular their difficulties with writing. The book highlights issues concerning the reading and writing of stories, what teachers understand by 'good story writing' and the importance of teachers exploring boys' and girls' difficulties with literacy by themselves. It provides significant insight into boys' difficulties with writing as well as informing teachers how to find out about children's attainment. |
Contents
a problem of gender | 9 |
Gender differences and their impact on reading and writing | 22 |
methods and issues | 43 |
Teachers perceptions of boys girls and the teaching | 57 |
Taking a closer look | 69 |
out of the mouths of babes | 91 |
So where do we go from here? | 109 |
exploring the boys and literacy issue | 129 |
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Common terms and phrases
ability Achievement action activities addition adopted analysis appeared approach asked attainment attitudes aware become behaviour boys and girls Chapter classroom commented concerns consider differences difficulties discussion early Education effective Emma encouraged English example experience explained explorations feel felt female focus forms gender gender differences give given going ideas impact important Improvement initial interest interviews involved issue Key Stage language learning less literacy London look male masculinity means methods Moreover mother narrative noted Open parents particular planning play positive practice Press primary problem questions reading recognised referred reflected relation Report responses role seen sense significant Simon skills social stereotypes story writing strategies structure suggested talk task teachers maintained teaching tended theories things under-achievement understand University women written