Teaching boys to read

Strategies to Engage Boys in Reading (and the Girls, Too) — Arctic and Antarctic Birds — Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears

Getting boys engaged in reading is a hot topic among educators these days. Data from national and international assessments show that boys lag behind girls in reading and comprehension. And that’s probably not a surprise to most teachers and librarians who are challenged to help boys become proficient and enthusiastic lifelong readers.

Why does this gender gap exist? Researchers cite several reasons. On the whole, boys take longer to develop reading and writing skills, while mastery is expected at a much earlier age than ever before. Boys also tend to read less than girls, which may or may not be related to early struggles in this area. Less practice often translates into lower achievement.

In addition, the traditional definition of reading as literature (narrative) based may also contribute to inequities in reading and writing achievement. Teachers and parents may not recognize the types of material typically preferred by boys (magazines, newspapers, comic books) as reading. When reading choices are made for boys (typically by mothers or female elementary school teachers), the materials often do not reflect their preferences and interests.

So, what can a teacher do? While no single strategy is guaranteed to reach every student, the following suggestions are grounded in both brain and gender research. In fact, these strategies will engage both boys and girls in reading, writing, and discussing works from all genres.

CHOOSE TEXT CAREFULLY

Informational Text

Research shows that boys tend to choose informational texts, magazines, newspaper articles, graphic novels, and comic books and that they read less fiction than do girls. While narrative text plays an important role in instruction, literacy research tells us that increasing the use of informational text in the elementary grades provides comprehension benefits for all students.

Including informational text also allows teachers to integrate content areas (science, social studies) and literacy instruction. Reading in the content areas sets a clear purpose for reading, another research-based suggestion. Students can’t help but be engaged when they are reading to answer their own questions about the world around them.

Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears provides science-themed, differentiated informational text in each issue. Go to Stories for Students to see all the articles.

Literature Circles and Idea Circles

The ability to self-select reading material is intrinsically motivating. Two types of activity work well with student-selected text: literature circles and idea circles.

Literature circles are small groups of students who read, discuss, and complete activities about a common text. These groups can be formed purposefully for differentiation or emerge organically as students select their own reading material. Teachers wishing to provide some structure for the activity can limit the number of choices offered to their students.

Idea circles are a bit different. Within a small group, students each read a different text focusing on a particular topic or guiding question. For example, students in an idea circle on polar explorers might read the biography of an explorer, a fictional narrative about a polar journey, an overview of Antarctic exploration, or informational text describing the tools and technology that make exploration possible. Students are able to select text appropriate to their reading level and in a format that is personally engaging. The group members share information as they read, creating a collaborative product from their collective knowledge.

While self-selection of text and differentiation among and within small groups are valuable strategies, there are times in which a teacher must use whole-class instruction. At those times, how can a teacher keep the boys engaged?

SET A CLEAR PURPOSE

Boys’ reading preferences show that they are often reading for a specific purpose — to master a video game, build a model, or learn how their favorite team fared over the weekend. Setting a clear purpose for reading can help boost their engagement, regardless of the text. It also helps all students attend to main ideas and can improve comprehension. One popular such method is SQ3R.

MAKE IT SOCIAL

Consider a group of boys in the classroom, or on the playground. More often than not, their conversation involves an argument or competition to determine who is the fastest, strongest, or most knowledgeable. This competitive nature can lead boys to not participate in a whole-class setting, as they fear failing in front of their peers.

Providing opportunities for small group reading and discussion and ensuring success can help boys feel comfortable and encourage them to participate. Linking reading and conversation can help them see that reading can provide a valuable form of social capital. The social nature of pair or small group work also makes most activities more powerful learning opportunities for boys and girls alike.

INVOLVE MOVEMENT

Research tells us that the human brain responds to physical activity. We know that physical movement can aid memory, something many of us can relate to if we’ve ever paced or walked in an effort to remember. Movement makes learning more enjoyable, which also translates into better recall.

That’s good news for boys, who tend to be kinesthetic learners. Incorporating movement into reading lessons – reading in a different location or reader’s theatre – will engage all students, not just the boys. Even drawing and making models provide the physical activity needed to stimulate and engage. Finally, content area reading provides opportunities for inquiry-based science lessons that pair with the selected text.

ENSURE SUCCESS

We know that in any setting, success is the most powerful motivator. Teachers can help ensure the success of boys (and all students) in reading by differentiating text. Beyond Penguins supports teachers as they do this by providing informational texts at three grade levels and in text-only, illustrated book, and electronic book formats. Teachers can also differentiate by allowing students to respond to text orally, in writing, or by drawing.

In addition to differentiating content and product, teachers can use scaffolds such as graphic organizers and templates to support student comprehension. Modeling and think-alouds make comprehension strategies and thought processes visible and provide additional support.

Teachers may notice that while gender research does show differences between boys and girls in the area of literacy, many of the suggestions and strategies really work for all students. And isn’t that what effective teaching is all about, anyway?

Resources

Boys and Reading

Reading is for the boys (and girls)!
A WebQuest for teachers. The focus is on adolescent literacy, but the research and pedagogy are appropriate for teachers of all grades.

Guys Read
Created by author Jon Scieszka, Guys Read is a web-based literacy program that helps boys select reading materials.

Boys and Books
An article from the International Reading Association’s Reading Today magazine. It provides an overview of research about boys and reading.

Informational Text

Stories for Students
Informational text from Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears. Science-themed articles are available at three grade levels (K-1, 2-3, and 4-5) and in three formats (text-only, illustrated book, and electronic book).

Literature and Idea Circles

Literature Circles Resource Center
A wealth of information about literature circles in elementary and middle school classrooms, including the research base, sample structures, and guidelines for choosing books, discussion, and written response.

Idea Circles and Differentiated Instruction
A sample science and literacy lesson combining idea circles and differentiated instruction.

Setting a Purpose for Reading

Setting a Purpose for Reading Using Informational Text
A sample lesson plan that sets a purpose for reading informational text by turning the titles and subtitles into questions. While written as a sixth-grade lesson, teachers of upper-elementary students will find this useful as well.

SQ3R
A reading method that involves surveying the text and writing questions before actually reading.

Cooperative Learning

Cooperative Learning and Elementary Classrooms
This Beyond Penguins article highlights the five essential components of cooperative learning, provides a quick overview of the research behind the strategy, describes three of the most common types, and offers ideas on how to get started using cooperative learning at the elementary level.

Differentiating Instruction

Differentiating Science and Literacy Content with Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears
This Beyond Penguins article provides an overview of differentiated instruction and links for further reading.

This article was written by Jessica Fries-Gaither. For more information, see the Contributors page. Email Kimberly Lightle, Principal Investigator, with any questions about the content of this site.

Copyright February 2009 – The Ohio State University. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0733024. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. This work is licensed under an Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons license.

How to Encourage Boys to Read

Do your boys struggle with reading?  If so, you are not alone. It’s a fact that boys don’t read as much as girls. This reading gender gap is affecting boys’ performance in high school and beyond.  So how can we encourage boys to read?

How to Encourage Boys to Read

Here are some quick facts about boys and that show why getting them to read is so important.  According to a 2010 report by the Center on Education Policy:

• Boys are falling behind girls in reading in every state and in every grade.
• Boys are more likely than girls to be placed in  special education.
• Boys are more likely than girls to drop out of high school.
• Boys are less likely than girls to go to a university.

All of these things are tied to reading ability and as a mom of 4 boys, this is pretty scary!  But there are some things we can do to encourage our boys to read.

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How to Encourage Boys to Read

I started reading to my sons shortly after they were born.  Even now we spend time reading together and I take that time to discuss what is happening in the stories we read.  My boys are always excited to get one-on-one time with mom and reading with someone else helps them to pay attention to the book.  When you start young, they grow up with a love of reading.

One of my boys has one speed: FAST.  It is hard to get him to sit down to read and then it is hard to keep him focused on what he is reading. It was while reading with my son that I realized he wasn’t comprehending very much of what read.  He was reading for speed and just wanted to get finished with chapters. I set time limits, instead of page requirements for him to read.  That way, he isn’t in a hurry just to finish a chapter so he can do something else.  His reading skills have improved exponentially over the past year.

I remember trying to force my oldest son to learn to read.  I even checked out reading programs from the library and would make him sit while I tried to teach him.  He hated it.  I hated it.  We were both unhappy.  Once I took the pressure off, he learned to read easily.  We loved reading the I See Sam Phonics Books.  These were recommended by our first preschool teacher and I orderd the entire set.  All of my boys have learned to read with these fun books and their silly characters. My boys never felt like they are being pressured. They actually loved seeing what shenanigans the characters would be a part of next.

I started taking my boys to the library story time when they were toddlers.  They had fun listening to stories and looking for new books.  Now, they get excited to go to the library to choose out something new.  My older boys even ask the librarians for suggestions of books they might like.  Our library has a free summer reading program where kids earn prizes for reading, weekly story times geared towards different age groups and a book club for older kids.

My grandma gave us a book for every birthday and every Christmas.  It was those books that I enjoyed the most and anticipated.  In order for boys to enjoy reading, books need to be readily available and they need to be exposed to a variety of different books.

I have always had the belief that as long as my boys are reading, then I don’t care what they read (as long as the material is age appropriate). One of my boys went through a comic book phase.  But he would sit and read comic books for hours.  I was happy that he was reading.  Find something that they are interested in and make it available to them.

7. Be Involved in School Events that Encourage Reading

Our school has reading week once a year where students are encouraged to read as much as they can and take Accelerated Reading tests for comprehension.  There are a lot of rewards and parties for their hard work and I know they can use parent involvement to help them out.  I try to take my boys in early during the week so they can take A.R. tests before school.

8. Be in Contact With Your Child’s Teacher

If your child is struggling with reading or not wanting to read, his/her teacher is your best resource.  Go to them with your concerns and they should be able to help you to work out a plan to help your child.

9. Set Reading Goals

If your child is hesitant to read, set some reading goals with them. I love that our school participates in the Accelerated Reading program. Children are encouraged to read and reach different A.R. goals where they are recognized by the school.  Last year, my 3rd  grader met his goal of getting 250 AR points and had his name put on a plaque in the school.  That was a goal he has had for a couple of years and he was excited to meet it.  But even at home, a simple reward for finishing a book or reading so many hours, can really encourage boys to read.

I love this quote and really believe it:

Books Your Boys Will Love

I asked my Moms of Boys Community for recommendations of the books their boys love to read and their suggestions are below.

Books Boys Love to Read

• The Magic Treehouse Series
• Fly Guy
• Henry and Mudge
• Shel Silverstein Books
• Sideways Stories from Wayside School
• Origami Yoda Files
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid
• The Boxcar Children
• Henry and Ribsy (Henry Huggins)
• Galaxy Zack
• Captain Underpants

And for older boys:

• Harry Potter
• Percy Jackson and the Olympians
• Heroes of Olympus
• Fablehaven
• Ranger’s Apprentice Series
• The Chronicles of Narnia
• The 39 Clues Series

Hopefully by encouraging boys to read, we can start to see a shift in the reading gender gap and boys’ reading abilities will begin improve.

What tips do you have to encourage boys to read?

What is your son’s favorite book to read?

This post is a part of our series 31 Days of Tips for Raising Boys. Each day throughout the series we are discussing a different topic regarding raising boys.  I’d love for you to follow along and share this series with other parents of boys who may need some support or just to hear that they aren’t alone in their journey of raising boys.

Find all of our posts in one place on our series home page:  31 Days of Tips for Raising Boys

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methods of teaching reading to the first grade

When to teach a child to read

There are early development studios where children are taught to read from the first years of life. However, pediatricians do not recommend rushing and advise starting learning to read no earlier than 4 years old, best of all - at 5–6. By this age, most children already distinguish sounds well, can correctly compose sentences and pronounce words. Therefore, most often parents think about how to teach their child to read, already on the eve of school. nine0005 Source: unsplash.com / @jonathanborba
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How to know if your child is ready to learn to read

Before you start teaching your child to read, you need to make sure that the child is ready and wants to learn. To do this, try to answer the following questions:

• Does the child know the concepts of “right-left”, “big-small”, “inside-outside”?
• Can he generalize objects according to these characteristics?
• Can he distinguish between similar and dissimilar forms?
• Is he able to remember and execute at least three instructions? nine0013
• Does he form phrases correctly?
• Does he pronounce words clearly?
• Can he retell a story he heard or experienced?
• Can he formulate his feelings and impressions?
• Can you predict the ending of a simple story?
• Does he manage to participate in the dialogue?
• Can he listen without interrupting?
• Can he rhyme words?
• Do the letters attract his attention?
• Does the child have a desire to independently look at the book? nine0013
• Does he like being read aloud to him?
  

If you answered “yes” to these questions, your child is ready and will soon learn to read correctly.

Methods for teaching reading

Most of the methods involve learning while playing, so that the child is not bored and learns knowledge better.

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Zaitsev's Cubes

For more than twenty years, these cubes have been introducing children to letters and teaching how to form words and syllables. They allow you to understand how vowels and consonants, deaf and voiced sounds differ. There are 52 cubes in total, each of which depicts warehouses (combinations of a consonant and a vowel). The cubes vary in color and size, the large ones depict hard warehouses, while the small ones are soft. During classes, parents are encouraged to pronounce or sing warehouses so that the child remembers them better. nine0005 K Zaitsev's ubiki
Source: moya-lyalyas.ru
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Vyacheslav Voskobovich's "towers" and "folds"

windows. You can put cubes in them to make syllables. And from several towers you can make a word.

catalog-chess. ru

Skladushki is a book with pictures, educational rhymes and songs. Parents sing them and in parallel show the warehouses in the pictures. The author of the methodology claims that a child of six years old can be taught to read in a month using "folds". nine0005 ‍ A page from V. Voskobovich's "folds"
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Doman's cards

This method of teaching a child to read is based on memorizing whole words, from simple to more complex. First, the child masters the first 15 cards, which the parent shows him for 1-2 seconds and pronounces the words on them. Then the child tries to memorize phrases. This technique helps not only to learn more words, but also develops memory well in general.

Maria Montessori's method of teaching reading

The essence of the Montessori method is that the child is first asked to feel the writing of a letter, and then pronounce it. For this, didactic materials are used - cardboard plates with pasted letters, the outline of which the child traces with his finger, naming the sound. After studying consonants and vowels, you can move on to words and phrases. The Montessori method not only helps to learn to read, but also develops fine motor skills, logic, and the ability to analyze. nine0005 ‍ Montessori cards are easy to make yourself.
Source: hendmeid.guru
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Olga Soboleva's technique

The author of this technique believes that you need to start learning not from the abstract alphabet, but immediately in practice - by analyzing simple texts. The Soboleva program allows you to teach a child to read from the age of five - at this age, children are already able to keep their attention on a line of text. Different approaches are offered depending on how it is easier for a child to perceive the world - by eye, by ear or by touch. In addition to reading skills, the technique develops interest in creativity, imagination, attention and memory. nine0005 Source: freepik.com / @gpointstudio
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How to teach a child to read by syllables

Teaching a child to read by syllables should be done in stages. First, explain to him that sounds are vowels and consonants, deaf and voiced. Say them with the child - he must understand how they differ. Letters and sounds can be learned while walking: draw your child's attention to the letters on signs and announcements, and soon he will learn to recognize them.

When the child has mastered the letters and sounds, start teaching him to read simple words - "mom", "dad". Then move on to more complex ones - “grandmother”, “dog”, “apartment”. Show your child that syllables can be sung. nine0005 ‍ Syllabary for learning to read
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Next, move on to word formation. You can cut cards with syllables and invite the child to make words out of them. When he gets comfortable, move on to reading short texts. It is better to start with two or three phrases, and a little later switch to texts of five to ten sentences.

To enroll in Foxford Online Elementary School, a child must have at least basic reading, numeracy and writing skills. To check the readiness of the child for school, we offer to pass a small test that does not require special preparation. nine0005 Source: freepik.com
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Exercises for learning to read

There are many exercises on the Internet that help children learn to read, you can print them out and start learning right away. Start with exercises that teach you to recognize letters and tell correct spellings from incorrect spellings.

When the child gets used to the letters, move on to the exercises for syllables. For example, like this:

Such exercises not only teach reading, but also develop logical thinking well:

Gradually move on to exercises where you need not only to read correctly, but also write words:

One of the most difficult and entertaining exercises is fillords: you need to find and cross out the words on the field of letters.

Games for learning to read

With the help of cubes or cards with letters and syllables, you can play different educational games with your child. Let's take a few examples.

Garages

Take a word of 3-4 syllables and place the cards in random order on the floor. Explain to the child how these syllables are read. These will be garages. Give the child different toys and offer to send them to the garage as you wish: for example, the car goes to the TA garage, the bear goes to the RA garage, the ball rolls to the KE garage, and so on. Make sure your child is positioning the toys correctly. At the end of the game, invite the child to make a word from garage syllables. Perhaps not the first time, but he will get a "ROCKET". Gradually introduce new syllables into the game. nine0005

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Store

Lay out images of various goods on the table - this is a store, and you are a seller. Give your child a stack of cards with syllables - they will function as money. The child needs to buy all the items in the store, but each item is only sold for the syllable it starts with. For example, fish can only be bought for the syllable "RY", milk - for the syllable "MO", and so on. Give your child a few extra cards to make the task more difficult. When he gets used to it, change the conditions of the game: for example, sell goods not for the first, but for the last syllables. The game is both simple and complex: it will allow the child to understand that words are not always spelled the way they are pronounced. After all, a cow cannot be bought for the syllable "KA", for example. nine0005

Lotto

Game for several people. Give the children several cards with syllables. Take out the cubes with syllables one by one from the box and announce them. Whoever has a card with such a syllable - he takes it. The first person to complete all the cards wins. During the game, children will accurately remember the syllables that they had on their hands.

Summary

Finally, a few more tips on how to teach a child to read:

• It is better to start teaching children to read by memorizing letters. It is important that the child can recognize and name them without hesitation. nine0013
• In the early stages, pronounce the consonants as they are read in words: not [em], [el], [de], but [m], [l], [d] - this way it will be easier for the child to find his bearings.
• Sculpt letters from plasticine, draw and color, buy an alphabet with voice acting - use all the channels of the child's perception.
• Gradually build letters into syllables and then into words. Play rearranging letters and syllables, let the child experiment.
• Teach your child rhymes about the letters of the alphabet, look at the primer, use cards with letters and pictures. Thanks to the illustrations, the child will be able to memorize the symbols faster. nine0013
• Distribute the load: fifteen minutes a day is better than an hour twice a week. Alternate entertaining and serious tasks.
• You can hang signs with their names on objects in the child's room - the child will quickly learn to recognize them in texts.
• Read aloud regularly to your child and gradually introduce them to independent reading. Every evening, offer to read at least a few lines from a well-known book on your own.
• Lead by example. For a child to want to learn to read, he must regularly see you with a book. nine0013

We hope that our recommendations will help you teach your preschooler to read. Even if your child is just learning to read, at Foxford Elementary School he will be able to improve his skills.

How to teach a child properly

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In the last few years, there has been such a trend: children are beginning to be taught to write and read almost from the cradle. Many parents teach their child from the age of two what they themselves learned at the age of 5. But doesn’t this hurt the child? How justified is this approach to the upbringing and education of children? nine0005

© DepositPhotos

Revision So Easy! decided to investigate this issue. We learned the opinion of a psycholinguist, neurobiologist, professor of St. Petersburg State University Tatyana Vladimirovna Chernigovskaya on this matter. And we completely agree with her!

Modern parents are trying with all their might to put as much knowledge as possible into the heads of their children and to do it as early as possible. And they sincerely believe that this is the best approach to raising a child. Tatyana Chernigovskaya believes that it is much more important not to try to put maximum information into the child's head, but to understand how to use the resources of the brain. And do everything on time. nine0005

The professor says: “It is very important for children to start learning on time. The main trouble of the modern child is conceited parents. When they say to me: “I started teaching my son to read at the age of two”, I answer: “Well, you are a fool!”. Why is this needed? He still can't do it at two years old. His brain is not ready for this. If you train him, he will, of course, read and maybe even write, but we have a different task.”

But who needs it more? Child or you? For a child, everything must be on time. First games with a bear, picture books, and then reading. And parents most often need this to brag that their child already knows how to read at the age of two. The child's brain needs to be worked on, developed, and not filled with a bunch of information that he still cannot absorb. nine0005

Tatyana Chernigovskaya gives some advice on how to work with a child, what you should pay attention to.

1. Fine motor skills
   It is very important to pay attention to the development of the child's fine motor skills. It is very important for children to sculpt something from plasticine, cut it out with scissors, sort out beads or other small objects. If the child does not do this, then fine motor skills do not work. This results in problems with speech function.

   This is much more important than teaching a child to read from infancy. If you do not develop fine motor skills in a child, do not complain later that his brain is not working well. nine0005

   © DepositPhotos

2. Music
   Modern neurosciences study the brain while it is affected by music. It is now known that the participation of music in the process of child development, especially at an early age, strongly affects the structure and quality of the neural network.

   The professor says: “When a child learns music, he gets used to paying attention to small details, to distinguish between sounds and their duration. And it is at this time that the fine line of the neural network is formed.” nine0059

   © DepositPhotos

3. Constant development
   The brain always needs to do something, you can't let it be lazy. You can draw a small analogy: if you lie on the couch for six months, do not move, then it is very difficult to get up later. So it is with the brain, if it does not have a cognitive load, then it sours.

   Tatyana Chernigovskaya says: “Not all people on our planet are brilliant. And if a child has bad genes, then nothing can be done. But even if the genes are good, this is still not enough. Grandma might have a great Steinway grand piano, but you have to learn how to play it. In the same way, a child can get a wonderful brain, but if it does not develop, form, tune in, it will be an empty thing, it will die. nine0059

   ©DepositPhotos
4. Girls and boys
   Girls and boys need to work and learn differently. The boys are active and energetic, in no case can this energy be restrained, you just need to direct it into a peaceful direction. For maximum effect, they must be involved in vigorous activity. Boys love to solve real problems, participate in competitions. More activity, less writing assignments, which are of little use.

   Girls like to work in a group, they need contact.

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