If you didn’t know already, girls read much more than boys and outperform them in most classes, especially language classes. Also, girls process language on both sides of their brains while boys only process language on the left side. They learn differently and should be taught according to their specific needs. The education system is geared towards the success of girls which is one of the reasons why they read much more than boys and are more interested in reading. However, it doesn’t have to stay this way and there are many ways to help boys to read and take interest in it.
First, In school:
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The majority of teachers are women
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Boys need more noise
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Boys don’t care for the classics
The greater number of women who teach can easily relate to girls who work best in traditional classroom settings where they have to sit still and listen without any background noise. Girls can do this for hours on end and have no problem focusing, but it’s much different for boys. They get in trouble a lot for making noise or not sitting still, but that’s because they get uncomfortable and have a harder time focusing after being in one place for so long. Boys learn better and retain more information by moving around and with more noise and action. Even libraries are geared towards the needs of girls. They’re meant to be kept quiet, the way girls like them but their counterparts need a whole lot more motion.
Next, most women teachers are steered towards classic books. These are normally the ones that are read in class for different lessons and set out as options for the students to read. This is a problem because these aren’t stories most boys take interest in. These are stories that will bore them. If you want to get boys to read, then they need to be given lots of options to choose from. They need stories that would excite them. Boys tend to love:
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Action
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Humor
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Science
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Animals
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Gross stuff
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Nonfiction
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Comics
Boys are very visual and need more pictures to go along with the words they’re reading. They also love “collecting facts” on different topics they like. This is something that can keep them interested in reading - knowing that they’ll always be able to learn something new.
Lastly, it’s important not to criticize his choice of books no matter how easy to read they may seem. Reading anything is better than reading nothing. For the boys who don’t like picking up books at all, feel free to try out audiobooks at home or in the car. They can do different activities, like drawing or playing with toys while they listen to the story. Remember to always look for small signs of progression as well and let your boy know that he is doing well.
In Conclusion, getting boys to read does not have to be a difficult thing. They will read if you give them enough freedom to choose books for themselves without any pressure. All they need is to know what their interests are and continue to pick up those types of books. They just might end up loving to read.
Coolidge, Kevin. “The Blue Collar Bookseller Review: Getting Boys to Read.” NorthcentralPA.com, 9 Mar. 2022, https://www.northcentralpa.com/features/reviews/the-blue-collar-bookseller-review-getting-boys-to-read/article_c8c0da12-9f1a-11ec-92e9-2fb525427534.html.
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