Especially for Teachers - Resources

Boys and Books

A Forum for Teachers

A forum for teachers hosted by James Moloney

This is an edited transcript of the discussion that took place in the English Classroom Forum on the Discover website of the Tasmanian Department of Education.

The discussion was hosted by the multi award-winning Australian author, James Moloney. James was a teacher librarian for twenty years, much of it spent working with boys only. The apparent reluctance to read and the poor literacy skills he found among many of the boys with whom he worked with was at least partially the spur to try writing for teenage boys and boys in upper primary. He now has a range of titles in print, including the novels A Bridge to Wiseman's Cove , Dougy , Crossfire and Touch Me , all of which appeal strongly to young male readers. In 2000, James published Boys and Books in which he looks at why many boys reject books and reading and suggests ways of addressing the problem.

Participants in this forum included primary and high school teachers, pre-service teachers and curriculum officers mainly from Tasmania but also from other Australian states.

The discussion has been edited to make it easier to follow. We think you will find it absorbing to read in its entirety and a valuable professional learning tool. You can read the discussion on the web or download it as a Word document. (Click here to download the word document - 80k).

You can go to particular parts of the discussion by clicking on the links below:

James’ introductory remarks
Do teachers care?
The importance of sharing and modelling
The culture of boys
The danger of stereotyping
What books are valued?
Constructions of masculinity
Individual boys, not all boys
Building and sustaining a culture of reading
Silent Sustained Reading
Valuing different ways of responding
James’ summary of important points

James Moloney

Hello to everyone taking part in this forum.

Boys and Books. It's easy to put the two words together like this on a computer screen. Alas, it's not always so easy to put the two together in a classroom or a library, or a bedroom at home. Not everyone has trouble. The librarian at Geelong Grammar recently expressed her surprise that it was even an issue. The boys in her care read well, widely and often, she claimed and I don't doubt her word. In fact, I think her remarks are instructive in relation to what we will soon be discussing - the culture of boys, the wider social environment in which they are raised and the expectations placed upon them.

To begin this forum, I thought we might take a step back from the boys themselves, whom we will be discussing soon enough, to gain a broader perspective. Here's a question. Do the teachers in our schools really care whether boys read? I don't mean English teachers. I mean P.E. teachers, Maths teachers, I.T. , Home Economics, Science, Manual Arts and Art teachers. More to the point, if teachers from these subject areas put us on the spot, what reasons would we give that all students, but boys specifically, should not only be able to read but should embrace reading as a skill and as a leisure choice?

While you are considering your answer, you might like to mull over something that startled me recently but which I think is ultimately linked to this discussion. In conversation with a businessman friend of mine, this was his assessment of the decline of the Australian dollar:
"It's the world's judgement of us. Australia is a really just another country that sells primary resources with little value added. It is in the interests of other nations to let our dollar sink so that the raw materials they buy from us remain cheap. It will only ever be in the interests of the rest of the world to make our dollar rise when we produce items of high intellectual value, thus putting us in competition with the likes of America and Western Europe."

The boys, literacy and the intellect. I will look forward to your responses.

Doug Bruce

Do the teachers in our schools really care whether boys read? The ones who have male children seem to care.

I read somewhere at the time the Aussie dollar started its slide that Australia's economy was seen by international investors as "a mine, a farm and a beach". Not far off from not only the way we project ourselves internationally but, perhaps more importantly, see ourselves. The old cultural cringe still working its poison.

In relation to boys and reading, I would answer the question of "why" with the answers "why not" and "to broaden their horizons, to make accessible different worlds and ways of thinking" and that's just for starters. I think maybe that boys being resistant to reading is an insidious aspect of the cultural cringe.

Jo Winckle

I believe the question should read - "Do the teachers in our schools really care whether STUDENTS read?" My answer is "Yes". As can be witnessed on any day, in many classrooms (or shacks, tents, trains or beaches) throughout Australia. My personal experiences alone could fill a book!

If our teaching practices, school policies and social values are inclusive then we are capable of reaching ALL children. However if our teaching practices, school policies and social values are driven by concerns over our economic value on the international market, and our position as an intellectual competitor against other countries, then the literacy skills of boys AND girls will suffer.

Carol Wilson

One of my concerns is whether or not the teachers and carers of our students actually read themselves. If they do, when do they tell students they read and when do these teachers have the opportunity to show students they read?

Tammy Norris

I agree. Often teachers don't have the opportunity to show students that they read. However, I think that as teachers it is our duty to read, for both our students and ourselves.

I am a pre-service teacher in the Faculty of Education. On my last practice teaching session, I was so enchanted by the students’ passion for reading that I've read many of the same books that they had read and recommended. I, in turn, have recommended books to children that I know so that they too can share in the beauty of reading and discovering. I recently finished Hitler's Daughter  by Jackie French and passed it on to my ten year old brother who read it in two days... I'm happy to say that he read it because he had seen me reading it and had heard me talking about it to friends. He wanted to share the magic...

I think that we should share with our students the experiences that we've had with books. If we are enthusiastic and make the effort to show our students the joy and excitement that reading can bring, then they are more likely to become enthusiastic about reading themselves.

Pat Corby

I too enjoy having time to share reading experiences with students and always get a thrill when they come up to me and want to recommend books for me to read. The boys I teach tend to recommend series like the Gary Paulsen Hatchet series or ones of a fantasy/science fiction nature. The girls tend to prefer ones like Looking for Alibrandi  or those with a personal relationships connection. I also find boys like to discuss factual material such as a magazine about surfing or cars or play stations. They tend to have a stronger non-fiction orientation than girls and for this reason we have been gathering a collection of short stories with a factual base as extra encouragement for boys to dip in to books.

I am fortunate to work in a school where the Principal, a Maths teacher, is also a reader. When he takes a supervision with a class, he will often read a short story that he enjoys and this enjoyment is passed on to the kids. It is great role modelling. Last year we moved our (male) Assistant Principal’s office to the primary section of the school (we are a district high). He began reading with small groups of boys and this too had positive effects.

James Moloney

I think the initial responses to my first questions are very positive and instructive. When do teachers have the opportunity to let students know what they are reading or even that they read themselves at all. It can be a hidden, silent and personal habit. Yet it is a habit we should be encouraging and reinforcing. Hopefully, it can be a natural thing in those less formal moments shared with students ... "I was reading in this book the other day that....". Remember that many boys see themselves as collectors of weird and wonderful information from an eclectic array of sources. Hence the interest in The Guinness Book of Records and to some extent to the Internet.

This sharing is very effective in promoting fiction as well. Kids are interested in what you have read. However, I have always found that the most effective sharing was between the kids themselves. If a friend had enjoyed a book, his mates will be enthusiastic to give it a go. I would never ask why the liked it. That is instant death. Just the fact that he did seems to be enough for his peers.

A male presence in schools, particularly primary schools where males are sometimes rare, was a point raised. I agree, though having worked in an all boys’ school for many years with a predominantly male staff, the danger can be a perception among male teachers that they must stay within "blokey" stereotypes. This can be detrimental to reading if male teachers are reluctant to discuss and support reading as a habit and a pleasure because it is seen asunmasculine. I guess it comes down to the attitudes of the individual teacher and the self-image he feels he must project.

Yes, Patricia, there are some great Principals around who will read to a class where they can. I find that short stories fit well into the time frame and are greatly enjoyed by students. "The Hitch-hiker" by Roald Dahl from The Secret Life of Henry Sugar and Seven More, "Who's There" by Arthur C. Clarke from Islands in the Sky are a couple that come to mind.

Part of the difficulty teachers face in encouraging boys to embrace books and reading is the culture of boys themselves. As a bold general statement, I would put it to you that many boys live outside a culture of reading. One of the most potent factors contributing to this is masculine stereotypes. From their formative years, boys are encouraged to identify themselves as male and this is certainly as it should be. However, many find themselves pressured to achieve this by separating themselves from, even disdaining all things feminine. The insult boys fear most is "you're a girl." Reading is all too easily seen as a feminine behaviour and so a rejection of all things feminine can entail a rejection of reading.

Would you agree? Do you see evidence of this among your male students? What can teachers, both male and female do to lessen the influence of stereotypes and make reading an acceptable behaviour for boys whose reluctance to read is tied up in this?

Mark Howlett

The issue of breaking stereotypes is always going to be a difficult one, since most begin with the culture of the home and are then reinforced through the Media. If the adult male in the home does not read then our young boys will not see reading as a masculine behaviour. Our boys need to see their heroes reading, or at least endorsing reading, and this needs to begin with their first hero - Dad.

The difficulty with just attacking reading in schools is that a lot of boys equate all educational practices with feminine behaviour and even male teachers are seen as 'feminine'. So putting males in the classroom does not necessarily break down the problem of boys and reading. I'd like to see the early years of school - Kinder, Prep - adopting a reading program which included men from the community coming in and reading to the children. These male readers wouldn't have to teach, but just come in and read, showing their enthusiasm for reading. Libraries could also organise Dad and Kid evenings, where Dads were encouraged to come to the library and read to their kids.

I'm sure that others can come up with different ideas. BUT I do believe that unless the whole community attacks the issue the problem will not be resolved quickly.

Karen Clark

I'm not sure this is related to the thread of the discussion, but it's related to the topic, so I'll throw it in anyway!!

The other week I took my year 11/12 class of Writers' Workshop up to our library, where the librarian went through a trolley of books she had gathered to discuss. At the end of the discussion, the kids were able to choose some of the books to take out. One boy hesitated at the edge and I said in my best encouraging voice, "You're a bit of a surfer aren't you Shane. How about that new book written by a surfer?" He replied (without trying to make a point of any sort) "Well, I was just thinking that I might read that one written by the girl with anorexia."

Phew!!! What was I doing? Firstly I had interrupted a moment of reflection where he was going through the important process of thinking about which one he might select and secondly I was making the assumption that he wanted to read something related to his interests outside college - something (I suppose I thought) that wouldn't involve too much thought!!!

Aren't the assumptions we make about boys and reading so complex? What are we doing to boys if we assume that they will be interested in the latest trail-bike magazine? So many boys are way past where we are in our thinking!!! (although those trail-bike magazines did help me survive a year with Dwayne - who by the way loved Bridge to Wiseman's Cove when it was read to the class.)

When helping boys to choose reading material I guess it's best to do lots of listening! We can't be sure of anything. Offering heaps of choices, knowing the books ourselves, believing in young people and their ability to think deeply might just make for a good start.

Maybe even knowing ourselves comes in there somewhere. Some of our worst work as teachers is probably done with the best of intentions. Let's get books that boys like (at least the class will be quiet). What are these books that boys like??? Maybe we have some vague notion of what we mean there, but let's be really careful not to be too sure of ourselves, because we can be so wrong! And I've got the feeling that being wrong can have quite significant effects!

Let's assume that boys like to be challenged sometimes. And let's assume that they can talk about deeply sensitive issues - given the right contexts. And let's assume that they are intelligent enough to share in a conversation about issues that are important to all of us. Maybe if we work from this base, interesting experiences will present themselves.

Sarah McKee

I am a pre-service teacher, and have not had much school experience so far, but I find the many discussions on this topic fascinating for one who is still on the outside looking in. From my studies so far, one thing has been made abundantly clear to us - that all students are individuals and that they come to school with their own unique interests, knowledge, social, emotional and cultural background. Any programme of learning should cater (where possible!) for individual need. I can imagine that this is an awesome task and to me, at this stage of my learning, the greatest task of all.

Maybe, as Karen Clark experienced, making assumptions and generalisations about what "boys want" rather than listening to them is one possible cause of this problem. I think Karen was correct in saying that teachers should be listening and talking to students rather than relying on stereotypes of what they think boys would like to read and write about.

Andrew Connolly

Thanks James for starting the conversation with some thought-provoking questions. I have been following the responses each day before jumping in.

Do the teachers in our schools really care whether boys read? As a primary teacher now working in professional development with other teachers I would answer in the affirmative. Yes this group of teachers do care and many care passionately. It might be, however, that some groups of teachers do not share our passion for literature or see reading as only being the reading of literature.

Last week I took a session at an inner city Sydney school (a school classified as Disadvantaged due to a range of economic and social indices of the community in which it exists). The session focused on picture books and some 40 teaching staff attended in their own time after school. The combined literary knowledge of this group and their absolute passion for the cultural artefact of the picture book was very evident. The group were not that different from many other teachers with whom I work. They wanted their students to read 'Literature' with them.

In the previous three weeks I had worked with primary teachers in Shepparton Victoria, Dubbo NSW and Toowoomba Qld. In each of these locations Australian Children's Authors worked with these teachers to support them to develop techniques and strategies to enhance student writing. Each of these groups of teachers passionately engaged with the writers demonstrating their knowledge of Australian Literature and the ways in which they use it in their classrooms. They definitely cared about whether all their children read 'Literature'.

These two snapshots confirm and acknowledge both Carol Wilson's response and Jo Winkler's in that all these teachers were obviously readers of 'Literature' and were interested in ALL children reading and being able to read 'Literature' - in inclusive classrooms.

Picking up on the idea of inclusive classrooms these two snapshots demonstrate that primary teachers and English teachers have a passion for reading in ways that advantage the literary cultural artefact of the book, whilst underplaying other reading events and artefacts that are valued by communities from which the children come. Perhaps even reading practices valued by the groups of teachers identified in the initial question asked by James.

The intense focus on literature can exclude (not deliberately) the differing literacy practices and everyday reading experiences, the very reading events which may in fact allow students to demonstrate their reading potential and ability in the classroom and could also be used as powerful scaffolds into reading books if this is an outcome that we value.

Following from the above and moving beyond identifying whether other groups of teachers apart from English and Primary Teachers value reading and read themselves, I would like make some personal observations and ask some questions which piggyback on James’ initial questions:

1. Why should the literary artefact assume such importance and relevance in the classroom of today and indeed in the lives of the students we teach? In the broader context "schooling" as funded by our political masters is now managed by economic rationalists whose stated outcomes do not measure and value 'enjoyment'. The systemic outcomes with which teachers are working and the systemic culture within which they work are not about creating 'communities of readers ' who read literature and enjoy for the richness that it contributes to their lives. The systemic focus is on achieving outcomes that contribute to the economic development and advancement of the individual and then on through this, the community. Economic competition policy!

2. Is students’ performance in literary or English type reading events valued other than the fact that is often a compulsory notch on the pathway to somewhere else by these systems of education and the broader community? Are students recognising the hidden agendas and responding in kind?

By the way, Masters’ and Forster’s (1997) ACER analysis of literacy performance at Years 3 and 5 reveals that the gender differences in achievement are greater for Writing and Speaking than for Reading, Listening and Viewing.

James Moloney

The responses to my questions about stereotypes elicited some poignant examples of how it occurs and the way teachers must be wary of their own assumptions. I thought Karen Clark's remark gave good direction here. "When helping boys to choose reading material I guess it's best to do lots of listening! We can't be sure of anything. Offering heaps of choices, knowing the books themselves, believing in young people and their ability to think deeply might just make a good start." Karen's point about not selling boys short by pandering to their apparent "disinterest" in deeper issues (and emotional experience) is very important. Their apparent "disinterest" might be tied up with other agendas.

Gender stereotypes are difficult to challenge and the first steps must begin with "Dad" as Mark Howlett points out. In my researching of this point I was surprised and ultimately encouraged to discover the following. Having a father who was a reader certainly helped and so did having more male teachers in year one, two and three, but they were minor factors (or in effect a subsection) of the biggest factor. The most important factor was a boy's perception of his father's attitude towards reading, whether Dad was seen to read himself or not. This is where we have to start if we want to build a culture of reading around our boys. All very easy to say. But how can teachers improve the attitude towards books and reading of the significant males in a boy's life? How can a teacher draw out the positive attitudes that may be lying hidden because it appears "unmanly" to share or even speak about the pleasure and practical purpose a man finds in literature or reading in general?

Andrew Connolly's thoughtful response prompts me to introduce the concept of the "renegade reader". This is a term coined by Jo Worthy in America to describe the male readers, from roughly 12 to 16 who have learned to read adequately but then proceed to show a reluctance to read much of anything that their teachers and school librarian recommend. When Worthy investigated this, she found such boys were reading quite a lot in a kind of "underground" fashion - unrecognised by teachers and parents. What they read was mostly adult novels from the fantasy and horror genre often disdained by adults and to a lesser extent thrillers and war stories. They rejected Young Adult literature as being "approved" or too worthy. What mattered to them was the genre of the book, its cover, the blurb and what their peers had thought of it, particularly if there was an enthusiastic recommendation by a mate. Researchers even found that their informal analysis of these texts was superior to anything they produced in class associated with the set novel.

Does this phenomenon have anything to tell English teachers?

Angela Bird

I agree that tactics social forces can mitigate against us in spite of everything we try. However, it doesn't mean we shouldn't do all of the things everyone has suggested. The issue can be broadened to boys and English. Much has been written about this but I'm not sure how far we've come really especially when you look at the figures for English subjects for years 11 and 12. (in Tasmania English is not compulsory in 11 and 12). More than twice the number of girls as boys take subjects like pre-tertiary English Literature and Writers Workshop. Perhaps we need to think more broadly about our selection of texts in order to cater to the interests of boys. But I don't think that addressing this is the whole solution. Tackling the construction of gender head on through text study may go some way to addressing the issue in the classroom. There are many opportunities to do this within years 11 and 12, and obviously at all levels, and my experience has been that boys enjoy the discussion and perhaps it challenges them to think more critically about how society, especially the media, constructs both masculinity and femininity.

Geraldine Carey

James’ comments about the "underground" reading referred to in the American study raise the old question - "Is it OK for them to reading anything, as long as they’re reading?" I don’t believe so, certainly not a sole diet of thrillers and war and horror stories which perpetuate the stereotypes which we’re trying to disrupt.

Offering wide reading choices, and exposing boys to appropriate male reading models are certainly important strategies. I agree with Angela that these need to be underpinned by an examination of constructions of masculinity and femininity. A particularly useful resource for use in the English classroom is the DEETYA publication "Boys and Literacy: Meeting the challenge", which presents teaching units using a variety of texts and genres to tackle the issue of gender construction.

James Moloney

Geraldine’s comments raise the question - is it the role of
literature to challenge inappropriate masculine stereotypes. I think this is certainly something that literature can do. My novel Touch Me would be a case in point. However, it can only work as part of a much wider strategy working with the support of the school community, teachers, parents, etc. There are examples of these programs working in a few places around the country and the Machismo Project in N.S.W. looks very promising.

A teacher who unilaterally decides to attack such stereotypes through the choice and study of books in the classroom risks seeing literature labelled by the boys as an unwelcome attempt to civilize them, weaken their masculinity, make them behave more like girls. This is not what that teacher is trying to do but it may be the way it is perceived.

I have focused the discussion so far on pathology and failure. Let's cheer up. There are many boys who do read well and often. What about them? There are also the success stories about reluctant boys who have become devoted readers. There is much to be gained from sharing and analysing such (happy) instances. I would welcome responses from you all about such a successes.

I saw it happen for a boy from a football-mad family once. He didn't read anything in year 5 when I was his coach but as his librarian the following year, he liked the sound of The Animals of Farthing Wood when I recommended it to his class. He ended up reading the entire series and went on to good quality fantasy and pretty much always had his nose in a book after that.

Andy Kowaluk

I have been following this discussion for a while now and am impressed with the quality of the comments that are being made.

My own comment is in relation to the treatment of boys as some sort of homogenous group who are either deficient or not depending upon one's point of view and whose masculinity must be brought under the scrutiny of a post-structuralist paradigm. To my way of thinking there is a fatal flaw in this way of perceiving the issues involved. There is no doubt, for example, that there are significant gender differences between boys and girls in reading habits. Statistically girls tend to read more than boys and the material they read is different. I find value in this global way of looking at things and I can trace differences in my own school.

When we investigated reading patterns amongst boys and girls at Huonville High School a few years ago, for example, we found that girls tended to read more than boys and that more of the reading matter that they chose was from the fiction shelves. Statistically the differences were quite marked. When we investigated further we found that these patterns changed as our students grew older. Significantly, the patterns of the girls changed so that they were reading less fiction and more non-fiction. As the demands of the curriculum grew, the girls were reading less for their own pleasure and more for school related activities. Even then, however, they were reading more fiction than the boys.

There can be no disputing the statistical evidence. My problem, however, is that in discussion such as this we are led to refer to "boys" as such and "girls" as such rather than individual boys and individual girls. Statistics mask the fact that when we consider them as individual students some of our most avid readers are boys. I have over many years of teaching come across Grade 9 boys who devour books in the fantasy genre in their hundreds. The books are long and inevitably are published as a series. The boys in question have read them all and will tell you with some pride that the books have 1,000 pages. Sometimes these boys fit into the class well. At other times they are seen as loners and labelled as "spocks".

The point that I wish to make is that we need to distance ourselves from statistical trends and the gender differences they draw attention to and consider our students as individuals. There are differences, but if we are to alleviate the problems we need to remember that our students are not BOYS, but particular boys. Statistically boys tend to read less, but not all boys. Homophobia and gender stereotyping are issues in relation to boys, but not all boys. Some of the boys we teach reject reading because it is an activity for "poofters and girls", but not all boys. Some of these boys will respond well to a deconstruction of their masculinity, others will rebel and reject reading even more. For these boys a sense of worth and of self-discipline may be more important. Tell them it’s alright to watch the footy, hang out with their mates AND READ POETRY. Tell them it’s alright to be overtly heterosexual and masculine, and to enjoy a good yarn by Gary Paulsen. The biggest favour we can do them is to introduce them to literature and let them become boys who enjoy being boys who play footy, look at girls and have interesting things to say about Shakespeare and Byron and Limp Biscuit and Dylan and Dylan Thomas and .....I'm showing my age.

A number of contributors have pointed to the need for cultures in which reading is valued. I can only agree. If we value reading and we value our students they will value reading as well. Not all of our students and not all to the same extent, but the boys as much as the girls. There are no easy answers but this is an important part of the solution.

Colette Chinn

I have recently moved to teach at New Town High School - a school of 760 boys in Hobart. After 23 years teaching in our public schools to mixed classes, a single sex school is a new experience. The boys read a lot as we have a tradition of reading to begin all English lessons. I have noticed the boys also share authors and titles they like when we visit the library once a fortnight. They seem to mainly read fantasy, science fiction, adventure and novels dealing with teenage issues. The size of some of the fantasy books does not seem to concern them! Very few choose to read magazines in class, which surprised me. The boys do ask advice on what to choose when we visit the library. They are very comfortable talking about what they like and dislike and they are brutally honest!

It is vitally important to model reading and so I read with them. They take a great interest in what I am reading and I mainly read Young Adult Fiction in class. I do read some adult fiction and my students also ask me who I am reading and why I choose certain authors. This discussion is important as it exposes them to authors and issues they may not come across in any other way. Most of the boys are organised and interested enough to bring their own books, but for those who sometimes fail I have a shelf of books in my class from which they can choose reading material. Amazingly they love the cartoon versions of the classics, such as Robinson Crusoe, and some have actually sought out the full versions when we have been in the library. The boys in the junior grades still choose Gleitzman in preference to most other texts. Most of these are books belonging to my eleven-year-old daughter! Harry Potter is still very popular with almost all of the year 7s.

I was reading Hatchet in class recently and so many boys commented on how much they enjoyed that. We have just purchased sets of Touch Me and Deadly Unna for use in the senior school and I find that A Bridge to Wiseman’s Cove also works really well with single sex classes of boys. I find that the boys still love being read to, but that in single sex classes more volunteer to read aloud than perhaps they would in the mixed groups.

The library culture is important too and it is a pleasure to venture into our library at lunchtime and see so many students reading and discussing books. Our librarian obviously knows teenage fiction well and buys with our boys in mind. The library must be accessible outside of class time!

Teachers can generate a love for reading by being passionate about what they read and sharing that with their students. As English teachers we have to read widely and know (and like) the texts we choose to use as teaching materials. We can’t discuss literature with our students and discuss books worth reading if we have not read them ourselves. This is a large issue for the professional development of English teachers and some regard needs to be given to the time it takes to stay in touch with teenage fiction.

We need to make our classrooms vibrant places where spoken, written and visual texts are valued and celebrated. Working with boys is a wonderful experience and I welcome suggestions of texts which will engage them.

Libby Robinson

Here's a book sure to please the fellas - Crash, The Search for the Stinson by J. Beck, D.Blacklock and K. Allan. It is welcoming in its format. It contains a lot of photos, maps, paper clippings and drawings all set out in an exciting layout. The main text moves quickly without being overly descriptive or romantic. The themes are also strong and it's a ripper story. I'd say it would be suitable to Years 8 and 9. Importantly, this book is not condescending to the lads in an effort to trick them into reading. It is a very worthwhile piece of literature. Of course the girls will love it too. I did!

James Moloney

Thanks, Libby, for recommending Crash - The Wreck of the Stimson to the forum. I included it in a list of non-fictions books that
appeal to boys in my Boys and Books (ABC Books, 2000). I thought I would reflect on some of the discussion so far and further urge you to celebrate your successes. I have been struck by the clear enthusiasm for teaching boys that has emerged. That is an encouraging thing in itself but I wonder whether any of us are grappling with the worst manifestations of male disaffection in the classroom being reported in areas of Sydney and Melbourne. Read "Boys in Schools" by Brown and Fletcher if you want to know more of what I mean by this.

The recurring theme in your responses seems to be that some boys need different strategies to be become engaged in the English classroom and there have been some thoughtful and exciting contributions. We have touched on gender construction and stereotypes that can undermine a boy's engagement with English as a subject but we are still left with the conundrum: if the culture of schools doesn't match the culture of boys, who has to change? Neither is likely to change in a hurry which is a concern to teachers, whom I find to be a practical breed. Most want to know what they can do on Monday to help their students.

In fifteen years as a Teacher librarian in a boys school, I found that if the boys weren't choosing to read much, (and their literacy skills were failing to develop as a result) then I had to be pro-active in keeping books and reading up there, in their line of sight, under their noses, in their faces, which ever way you want to put it. This meant weekly sessions with me, the Teacher Librarian, incorporating a visit to the library to browse and borrow resources. I was working with Years 5, 6 and 7 but I know of schools that employ similar strategies in Year 8 and even Year 9 though the schedule might fall back to fortnightly.
My sessions included a box load of recommendations from me, very informal recommendations from other boys (no book talks, just holding up books they had enjoyed) and then the browsing and borrowing.
Just as important as these steps, was the follow up once they were settled back in their classroom. Using my own symbols and short hand, I recorded the choices of each boy on a class list which allowed me to monitor what was happening and therefore identify boys who needed intervention. This sounds a bit heavy handed perhaps but if I hadn't instituted this regime many of those boys would have read nothing at all beyond the Maths, Science and English textbooks opened before them during lessons. Some students get by with this alone. Others can't. They need more practice to develop literacy skills from mid-primary to the level needed in High School where teachers understandably expect students to have mastered basic skills. The evidence seems to suggest that the necessary practice is not being done.

How and when do students in middle and upper primary practise their newly emerging reading skills in your school? Is it the teacher or the Teacher librarian’s responsibility? How is reading practice monitored?

Irini McMaster

Boys like to be rewarded for their efforts!! I teach at a boys’ high school and we have had a very successful "Hooked on Books" program running for the last 4 years. In Year 7 boys are encouraged to read books, record what they have read, complete some follow-up tasks, for which they are rewarded for reading 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 books with a certificate presented to them in grade assembly. This works really well with most students. My grade 7 class last year were very enthusiastic and often encouraged those students who were essentially reluctant readers. This encouragement from their peers was very powerful. The only problem I found was that I had so many certificates to present in assembly that there was no time for anything else. However it did create much excitement and the parents liked this program as they could clearly observe what was going on, as part of the process included students taking their folder home to show their parents what they had been doing.

James Moloney

Thanks, Irini. I thought it would be interesting to hear how people use Silent Reading periods in schools - both Primary and Secondary. For boys struggling with their reading who are not supported as well as we might like at home, this might be the only time of the day when they actually practice their reading in any sustained way. That is quite a statement when you think about it. Imagine if you told the footy coach that he wouldn't be able to hold training sessions and that his players would have to get fit and improve their skills in private, at home. Does any work in a school where Silent Reading periods have a code of practice? Should such periods always be silent? What sort of material should be allowed, encouraged and provided by the school?

Colette Chinn

Silent reading forms an integral part of our English program at Newtown High. We begin every English lesson with ten to fifteen minutes reading - our lessons are of 60 minutes duration. The patterns are well established in the upper grades and we work to develop routines with the year 7s. Most of my students now enter the room and start reading — joy! However there are those who do come unprepared and so I provide reading materials for them. I wrote in a previous message that it is vital to model reading and for the teacher to be engaged by text. My students quiz me about what I am reading and they comment on my choices. This is simply another way to encourage discussion about text and author.

We go to the library once a fortnight for a regular lesson, spending about twenty minutes changing our novels and magazines. Yes, the purist in me disappeared years ago. One of my students will only read magazines about hunting, but he is reading now, whereas previously he was ready to disrupt the rest of us. As long as reading becomes pleasurable then we can extend our students’ horizons with different texts and choices. We first have to create an environment where reading is valued and the time set aside for it is respected. (I have heard teachers complain silent reading time did not work. Many of these teachers admitted they did not read during that time, but instead did their marking! Well we all have too much of that to do, but we have to set the tone for the classroom and show our pleasure in reading too.) I must admit to laughing and crying in response to a novel during silent reading time. My students have always wanted to know what caused the reaction!

I should mention that my daughter has been a reluctant reader. She has discovered Lemony Snicket and now refuses to do almost anything except read the series! She saves her pocket money to buy the books and is very persuasive in getting her friends to read them too. It seems that these books have captured her imagination and now she is experiencing the joy of reading. I guess this is just another example of the fact that children will read when they are captivated by the story and that when they enjoy a novel they do share that fact with their peers. I think Lemony Snicket’s books also appeal to her for the tactile experience. They feel great!

Thanks for your time James. You certainly have caused me to reflect on my classroom practice and I have really enjoyed the responses your questions have elicited from my colleagues.

Irini McMaster

I've often thought that some of the concerns faced in co-ed schools are not the same in single sex boys' classes. The ethos of reading mentioned by you also extends to many other facets of school life - classical music, productions. It is important for boys to understand that it is ok to be good at sport, play violin in the band and sing in the choir.

A number of years ago I went to a seminar which commenced with relaxation music. This set the tone and the whole day was worthwhile and enjoyable. I have found that quiet relaxation music at the beginning of the lesson worked wonders. If the music is on it is a sign to sit down quietly, get organised and start reading. There is no need for teacher direction at all; this can often be disruptive and unsettling. It can take a few lessons at the beginning to start the ball rolling but they get the hang of it and it allows for a very calm start. An example of music includes Tony O’Connor or anything soft without any words. Yes some of the boys are initially resistant to the music - however, I assure them it calms me down as well and this can only be a good thing!

At the end of silent reading I often give them a short task to complete as a follow-up or they complete what I call a reading log - basically a summary of what they read and their opinion.

Ian Johnston

I have been working closely with a group of Year 10 boys in a district high school who are reluctant or even non-readers. None of them has ever read a novel and all of them find the labour of decoding prevents them from gaining any joy from reading - even very simple texts. They do, however, enjoy stories and will listen for a long time to carefully selected short stories, yarns or "real life" drama. They will talk about issues emerging from the reading and they will relate these to their own "rich" experiences of life. Sometimes I think that we fall into the trap of thinking that such young people have no experiences - but they do and rich and varied their experiences of life are!

I don't know if I will ever encourage these young people to become "readers" but I know that I can help them to value what they have done, where they have been and with whom they have associated. I can help them value the idea of story - even if I have to read to them - and the idea that their stories are as valuable as any other story. With voice recognition software and even downloadable software such as "readplease", the written word can become much more available/accessible to all of the students we deal with and their stories will be available to all.

I have also found that with a digital camera , a lesson outside with a skateboard "expert" from the class and Microsoft Powerpoint these same boys can create their own texts that are appealing to a wide audience, challenge their own writing skill and are a rich learning experience for all. Imagine a student who has never read a novel telling another student where to stand, what angle to hold the camera, how close to zoom ....etc etc so that a shot of a skateboard "trick" can be 'just right' to put into their Powerpoint display. Imagine them re-doing the trick till all is right, then using a simple photo-editing program such as Microsoft Photo Editor to crop and manipulate till the desired effect has been gained? Imagine them going further to online research to find out technical terms and descriptions for the trick. All of this involves 'reading' and is very motivational. Imagine them not wanting to go to lunch because they had not finished their work....!

I don't know whether this is going to make them into "readers" but maybe we have to re-think what reading is and learn to value reading in all forms. I do think that if we force some boys into reading that they don't want to do then we might be doing more harm than good. Maybe we have to ask them what they want to do and find ways of valuing that rather than being so determined with our own agenda.

Patricia Corby

I believe that the creation of text as Ian has described is a form of reading extension that is highly valuable. Often what kids create and then read or share with others has more stimulation to a group than material we offer for sharing because theirs meets peer interest right at ground level.

Charles Morgan

I agree. I think we need to consider many different ways of encouraging students to engage with and respond to books. As teachers of English, we often ask students to write something for us or engage them in a group discussion, but there are many other possibilities. The English Learning Area website includes many teaching strategies for teachers to consider, including academic controversy, choral speaking, debating, imaginative re-creation, interview the author, literary sociograms, readers’ theatre and scamper, to name a few.

There are more teaching ideas in the section entitled Reading.

I have always found drama to be a really effective learning medium. In my experience, many boys who are reluctant to participate in a discussion or write a response will engage in a drama with great enthusiasm. Norah Morgan described some role playing strategies in a previous forum. She also described the use of low-key drama as an excellent way to encourage text response. In the same forum, Martina Crerar described the advantages of the teacher working in role:

I remember well a boy I taught many years ago who was extremely resistant to writing and would never participate in discussion. He wasn’t difficult, but very much a non-entity in the class. One day, he handed in a picture he had illustrated in response to a book we were reading. The picture was a wonderful representation of the ideas involved in the story and was a clear indication of the boy’s powerful imagination. This proved to be a turning point in our relationship.

Jeff Wilhelm in his book You Gotta BE the Book (Teachers College Press, 1997) describes a range of strategies for teachers to use with reluctant (and non-reluctant) readers. He argues that boys (indeed all students) are more likely to engage with books if they are able to respond in a variety of interesting and challenging ways.

James Moloney

It is time to bring the forum to a close. I am delighted with the wide range of comments and the depth of thought and experience expressed. I would like to congratulate you all on your contributions. What has come through more than anything is the passion with which teachers apply themselves to the promotion of reading amongst students, in this case boys in particular. I can only hope that such passion can be transmitted to all teachers.

I view the following points as among the most important raised

1. Despite a general perception that boys are not interested in reading, a good many certainly are and most of the rest can be helped into good
reading habits with the help of sound practices in schools. Pro-active intervention is definitely needed in the form of regular visits to the library, discussion of reading, time in class periods for reading.

2. Parental support, encouragement and approval are important factors and getting parents on side will make the task in schools easier.

3. Teachers who expect to enthuse and encourage boys about books must read themselves, especially books they want to recommend to students

4. Modelling of reading is important, especially amongst male teachers but
it needs to be done in a way that doesn't in anyway diminish the teachers'
masculinity in the eyes of the boys

5. It is important to let boys read what they want to read, at the same
time guiding them with recommendations and encouragement towards more challenging texts

6. Good reading habits are not about career success or even good marks in school. They are about expanding a student's horizons and opening them up to a richer life

7. Gender stereotypes are certainly a factor in the reading reluctance of some but they are best broken down through a gradual and wide-ranging
process involving school and community. Literature has a powerful role to pay within such a process but cannot instigate change on its own.

Thank you all for your participation over an extended period. I have found the whole exercise stimulating and rewarding.

Charles Morgan

On behalf of all members of the English forum, I would like to thank you, James, for leading such an interesting and important discussion. In my travels, I have met many forum members who have commented on how much they are enjoyed the discussion. I greatly appreciate the time and thought you have put into your comments and responses. Thanks also for treating us with respect and warmth. I hope you now have a little extra time to write some more great books!