tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/boys-reading-13969/articlesboys reading – The Conversation2023-02-08T19:09:12Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1986642023-02-08T19:09:12Z2023-02-08T19:09:12ZLearning to read for pleasure is a serious matter – NZ schools should embrace a new curriculum<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/508756/original/file-20230208-13-xmsqqu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=8%2C0%2C5742%2C2431&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Until now, the <a href="https://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum">New Zealand Curriculum</a> has focused almost exclusively on the development of technical reading skills. Simply reading for pleasure hasn’t been a priority, which makes its inclusion in the draft version of a refreshed curriculum particularly welcome.</p>
<p>There is no question that basic reading skills are a necessary component of education. But too narrow a focus on skills alone has not served the children and young people of New Zealand well. The broader intent of <a href="https://curriculumrefresh-live-assetstorages3bucket-l5w0dsj7zmbm.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/2022-10/Te%20Mataiaho%20draft%20for%20feedback_0.pdf?VersionId=JQW6U.pg4ppc.QAhl27CmLbsSTtWgvnm">Te Mātaiaho: the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum</a>, released late in 2022 with the inclusion of reading for pleasure, is an important step towards remedying this.</p>
<p>If the goal of literacy education is to encourage young people to want and choose to read, then enjoyment needs to be supported and valued alongside skill. Being able to read words, reading competently for meaning, and <em>wanting</em> to read are not the same things.</p>
<p>Rates of reading for pleasure have been in decline, alongside reading achievement as measured by <a href="https://dpmc.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2022-04/PMCSA-20-15_The-Literacy-Landscape-in-Aotearoa-New-Zealand-Full-report-final.pdf">international assessments</a>. So for those who realise the value of reading for pleasure, its inclusion in the draft curriculum as an essential practice is especially welcome.</p>
<h2>Pleasure as well as skill</h2>
<p>The presence of reading for pleasure in the curriculum will require schools and teachers to ensure it is happening. They cannot define some children as readers and others as not, or leave reading for pleasure to chance.</p>
<p>Our research for the <a href="https://natlib.govt.nz/about-us/collaborative-projects/communities-of-readers/putoi-rito-communities-of-readers-reports/a-national-agenda-on-reading-for-pleasure-insights-from-communities-of-readers-research">Pūtoi Rito Communities of Readers</a> initiative, and later using <a href="https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/research/children-and-families-research-fund-report/experiences-of-new-zealand-children-actively-reading-for-pleasure.html">data</a> from the Growing Up in NZ (GUiNZ) longitudinal study, challenges the view that reading for pleasure is a pastime for quiet, passive individuals sitting alone. Reading for pleasure is an inherently social activity.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/kiwi-kids-who-read-for-pleasure-will-do-well-in-other-ways-its-everyones-responsibility-to-encourage-them-171947">Kiwi kids who read for pleasure will do well in other ways – it’s everyone’s responsibility to encourage them</a>
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<p>We have previously identified the importance of reading for pleasure and its connection to a range of <a href="https://natlib.govt.nz/about-us/collaborative-projects/communities-of-readers/putoi-rito-communities-of-readers-reports/reading-for-pleasure-for-the-collective-good-of-aotearoa-new-zealand">better social and educational outcomes</a> for tamariki and rangatahi, both as individuals and as members of the wider community. These include <a href="https://doi.org/https:/doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.112971">better academic performance and positive wellbeing</a>, and more <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/26359251">positive connections</a> to the rest of society.</p>
<p>Te Mātaiaho requires children to be sharing their reading experiences with others from the beginning of schooling. By the end of year six, learners are expected to be members of <a href="https://natlib.govt.nz/about-us/collaborative-projects/communities-of-readers/putoi-rito-communities-of-readers-reports/a-changing-story-of-reading-at-huntly-college">communities of readers</a>.</p>
<p>School leaders and teachers will therefore need to ensure sufficient <a href="https://natlib.govt.nz/about-us/collaborative-projects/communities-of-readers/putoi-rito-communities-of-readers-reports/making-reading-for-pleasure-visible-in-five-primary-schools-from-te-kahui-ako-o-tiriwa">time and priority</a> is given to these activities. In the recent past, pressure to develop competent (but not necessarily motivated) readers has led to teaching focused on skill development, leaving little time for enjoyment.</p>
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<h2>Reading as social activity</h2>
<p>To meet the new curriculum goals, teachers first need an understanding of reading for pleasure and those who engage in it – including that those who do it are active, social people in other ways.</p>
<p>Recent analysis of the GUiNZ data, up to and including eight years of age, has shown those more likely to read frequently outside school were also more likely to attend other organised and interest-based activities, such as arts and sports. These activities were also related to greater levels of enjoyment of reading.</p>
<p>Children less likely to be engaged in reading for enjoyment could also be active, but their activity was less goal-directed. A similar pattern is seen in their use of electronic devices. Children who weren’t reading for pleasure spent more time on their devices, often passively consuming media.</p>
<p>Those who read for enjoyment more often did spend time online, but in active engagement with online material. The overall picture is one of readers as active people engaged with the world around them, and reading for pleasure as a purposeful social activity.</p>
<h2>Putting it into practice</h2>
<p>The fact readers are active people should not be a surprise. We have known for some time that good reading is goal-directed and strategic. Studies that have looked at <a href="http://doi.org/10.1007/s43545-020-00054-w">individual reading styles</a> and dispositions have identified that good readers are not focused on decoding text, compared with those focused on <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.966820/full">mastering the process</a> of reading itself.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/after-a-year-of-digital-learning-and-virtual-teaching-lets-hear-it-for-the-joy-of-real-books-156851">After a year of digital learning and virtual teaching, let's hear it for the joy of real books</a>
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<p>Early reading instruction therefore needs to avoid sucking the fun out of reading. It should focus on developing readers who value and enjoy reading, with all the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40841-022-00268-x">personal and societal benefits</a> that go with it.</p>
<p>For those in social groups (often boys) where active pursuits such as sports are valued more highly, a view of reading as something for quiet passive individuals is particularly problematic. The evidence shows that reading should be portrayed as part of an active lifestyle, not an alternative to it.</p>
<p>Teaching styles that privilege skills and don’t actively promote the enjoyment of reading for its own sake have been called “<a href="https://doi.org/https:/doi.org/10.1111/lit.12157">pedagogies of poverty</a>”. They are often used where learners are facing challenges with reading, yet further alienate those children from the enjoyment of reading.</p>
<p>Given the inclusion of reading for pleasure in Te Mātaiaho, those approaches will not meet the demands of the refreshed curriculum. It’s important, too, that the explicit inclusion of reading for pleasure doesn’t become a missed opportunity. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/lit.12157">This happened in the UK</a>, where teaching did not change to match a curriculum that included reading for pleasure.</p>
<p>The Ministry of Education needs to be mindful of this risk as it develops a <a href="https://www.education.govt.nz/our-work/changes-in-education/curriculum-and-assessment-changes/common-practice-model/">common practice model</a> that will map and guide the teaching of reading laid out in Te Mātaiaho. The progress made so far must not be lost or diminished at this crucial stage.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/198664/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>John Milne receives funding from the Ministry of Social Development and the National Library of New Zealand. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Celeste Harrington receives funding from the Ministry of Social Development and the National Library of New Zealand. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jayne Jackson receives funding from the Ministry of Social Development and the National Library of New Zealand.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ruth Boyask receives funding from Ministry of Social Development and National Library of New Zealand. </span></em></p>A refreshed New Zealand curriculum could require teachers to emphasise the joy of reading, not just the technical skills required. Research supports this long-overdue shift in practice.John Milne, Senior Lecturer in Education, Auckland University of TechnologyCeleste Harrington, Lecturer in Education, Auckland University of TechnologyJayne Jackson, Lecturer in Education, Auckland University of TechnologyRuth Boyask, Lead Researcher, Children's Reading for Pleasure Study, Auckland University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1887482022-08-21T20:02:34Z2022-08-21T20:02:34ZBook Week: it’s not the costume that matters, but falling in love with reading<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479558/original/file-20220817-20-ynmg73.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=5%2C8%2C1911%2C1356&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Image by Victoria_Borodinova from Pixabay </span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>My phone pings and it’s a message from my brother. Do we have an old white dress my niece could borrow for a Book Week costume for school? </p>
<p><a href="https://cbca.org.au/cbca-book-week">Book Week</a> is upon us once again and all around Australia, family WhatsApp groups are lighting up with similar requests from parents and carers of primary school aged children.</p>
<p>Mothers are staring at cardboard boxes wondering how they can help their child transform into a rainbow fish. Fathers are corralling children down the aisles of Spotlight trying to find the costume section. Carers are asking children about how they want to dress for the Book Week parade, and what’s needed to complete the look.</p>
<p>In the scramble for costumes, which can add to the work of already stressed parents and carers, the point of Book Week – for kids to fall in love with reading – can get lost.</p>
<p>In fact, a vast body of research <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/284286/reading_for_pleasure.pdf">evidence</a> shows what’s crucial to building a love of reading is allowing children the time and freedom to read what interests them.</p>
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<span class="caption">Some children will use a costume to play around with the fictional character and interact in role.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Photo by RODNAE Productions/Pexels</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<h2>Dressing up as a fictional character does have benefits</h2>
<p>I’m not saying the Book Week costume is pointless; dressing up as your favourite book character is a great way to celebrate reading, particularly when all students and teachers take part. </p>
<p>In Australia – where most school students wear uniforms – every school day out of uniform has a sense of celebration.</p>
<p>Some children will use their Book Week costume to play around with the fictional character and interact in role. </p>
<p>A child I know revelled in dressing up as Professor Snape from Harry Potter and playfully patrolled the playground in character. He was pursued by a gang of younger Potter fans with their house colours on, yelling out to him in role and giggling when he responded gruffly as Snape. </p>
<p>These children were playing but they were also learning; it was an opportunity to improvise scenes based on a novel they loved to read, and to celebrate this reading across the school.</p>
<p>“Snape” himself had read the novels when he was younger; his love of the text and pleasures of the fictional world spurred him on to read a much more difficult text than he normally would at that age.</p>
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<span class="caption">Dressing up can allow a child to celebrate the character and texts they love.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Photo by cottonbro/Pexels</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<h2>What really matters is not the costume, but falling in love with reading</h2>
<p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/284286/reading_for_pleasure.pdf">Extensive research</a> shows reading for pleasure improves young people’s overall reading skills, as well as test outcomes. </p>
<p>Creating a culture of reading in school can help children fall in love with reading, where children read books they choose themselves for their own pleasure. </p>
<p>Some schools provide a <a href="https://theconversation.com/10-ways-to-get-the-most-out-of-silent-reading-in-schools-123531">time and place for silent reading</a> as part of the school day, but sadly this is not always the case. </p>
<p>Providing time for sustained, self-selected reading is important, as many children do not read for pleasure outside school time. </p>
<p>Finding a book they love, with help from another child, a teacher, or librarian, can help a child to develop the habit of reading.</p>
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<span class="caption">Finding a book they love can help a child develop a reading habit.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Photo by Ksenia Chernaya/Pexels</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<h2>So what would work to help my child fall in love with reading?</h2>
<p>Encourage your child’s reading of fiction and let them choose books for themselves. </p>
<p>Facilitate trips to the library if you can, and spend time with them selecting what interests them. </p>
<p>Don’t judge your kids on what they love, and don’t force your kids to read what you deem a “worthy” book.</p>
<p>Too often kids experience what author and teacher <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=-Pemw9rwdo8C&oi=fnd&pg=PR5&dq=dressing+up+character+confidence+drama+school+gallagher&ots=KAkdW9mHdk&sig=KoYqmCAg2Sjo9hUtVCMgvrXjoNc#v=onepage&q&f=false">Kelly Gallagher calls “readicide”</a>: the “systematic killing of the love of reading, often exacerbated by the inane, mind-numbing practices of schools”.</p>
<p>It’s possible to commit readicide in the home if it becomes a forced, systematic chore where your child has no choice over what they are reading.</p>
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<span class="caption">Don’t judge your kids on what they love or force them to read books you deem ‘worthy’.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Image by Victoria_Borodinova from Pixabay</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<p>So, rather than judging, enjoy their pleasures and invite them to share their books with you. </p>
<p>Share your own reading with them, and make it visible to them. </p>
<p>I read novels on my phone, which I love, as I can read in bed with the light off. But it’s not as obvious when I am reading fiction as it would be if I was reading a printed book – so I try to bring up my reading in my conversations with my children.</p>
<p>It’s a small action, but anything you can to do help establish a culture of reading in the family helps establish reading for pleasure as a normalised behaviour. </p>
<p>So this Book Week, don’t stress about the costume, and don’t worry about what the other mums or dads are sewing or buying. </p>
<p>Just let your kid read what they want and enjoy it together.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/188748/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Joanne O'Mara receives funding from The Australian Research Council and the Canadian Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. She is a member of the Victorian Association for the Teaching of English Council. </span></em></p>This Book Week, don’t stress about the costume and don’t worry about what the other mums or dads are sewing or buying. Costumes are fun but what matters is to let your kid read what they enjoy.Joanne O'Mara, Associate Professor in Education, Deakin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1041402018-10-09T19:24:19Z2018-10-09T19:24:19ZSix things you can do to get boys reading more<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/238832/original/file-20181002-195260-19841vt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Boys typically read less frequently and perform worse on national and international reading assessments than girls.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The OECD consistently finds girls perform significantly <a href="https://www.oecd.org/els/family/CO_3_4_Literacy_scores_gender_age_15.pdf">better</a> than boys in reading. This gap can also be observed across the Australian <a href="https://www.nap.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/naplan-national-report-2017_final_04dec2017.pdf?sfvrsn=0">NAPLAN</a> reading data. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1111/eie.12143?journalCode=reie20">Research</a> suggests reading more can improve literacy outcomes across a range of indicators. But <a href="https://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=622481487428553;res=IELIND">girls</a> typically read more frequently than boys, and have a more positive attitude toward reading. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/research-shows-the-importance-of-parents-reading-with-children-even-after-children-can-read-82756">Research shows the importance of parents reading with children – even after children can read</a>
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<p>Parents <a href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/688899">read more</a> with their daughters. This sends a strong and early message that books are for girls, as well as equipping girls with a significant advantage. Recent <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/project/Western-Australian-Study-in-Childrens-Book-Reading-WASCBR">research</a> found even though boys read less frequently than girls, girls receive more encouragement to read from their parents. </p>
<p>So how can parents and educators help bridge the gap for boys’ literacy?</p>
<h2>Stop telling boys they only like non-fiction</h2>
<p>To improve boys’ literacy outcomes, parents and educators may look for ways to connect boys with reading. This had led to discussion about the importance of promoting so-called “boy-friendly” books that boys are supposedly “<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/09/why-girls-are-better-reading-boys/571429/?utm_campaign=the-atlantic&utm_content=edit-promo&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_term=2018-09-27T11%3A00%3A44">drawn to</a>”, which are typically assumed to be non-fiction works, as it’s regularly contended that boys prefer to read non-fiction. </p>
<p>But this contention is not typically supported by recent quantitative research. For example, OECD and my own <a href="https://www.aate.org.au/documents/item/1246">research</a> suggests boys are more likely to choose to read fiction than non-fiction. Encouraging all boys to read non-fiction under the assumption this meets an imagined uniform preference can actually lead to negative outcomes. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/238836/original/file-20181002-195269-1q9lmcf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/238836/original/file-20181002-195269-1q9lmcf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/238836/original/file-20181002-195269-1q9lmcf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/238836/original/file-20181002-195269-1q9lmcf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/238836/original/file-20181002-195269-1q9lmcf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/238836/original/file-20181002-195269-1q9lmcf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/238836/original/file-20181002-195269-1q9lmcf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">You can model good behaviour for your child by reading for enjoyment in front of them.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Firstly, the reading of fiction is more consistently associated with literacy benefit than non-fiction in areas such as <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10888438.2015.1069296?journalCode=hssr20">verbal ability</a> and <a href="https://www.oecd.org/pisa/pisaproducts/46619703.pdf">reading performance</a>. When we tell boys non-fiction books are for them, this may steer them away from a more beneficial text type. This is counterproductive if we’re doing so in order to improve their literacy. </p>
<p>Secondly, <a href="https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/CC-05-2017-0019">recent research</a> suggests non-fiction readers tend to read less frequently than fiction readers. So, if we want to increase boys’ reading frequency, engaging them in fiction may be more effective. </p>
<p>We may also be encouraged to steer boys toward comic books. While children can benefit from exposure to diverse text types, the reading of <a href="https://www.oecd.org/pisa/pisaproducts/46619703.pdf">comic books</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1041608013000642">e-mails</a> and social networking posts, <a href="https://www.oecd.org/education/skills-beyond-school/48631582.pdf">newspapers</a>, magazines and <a href="https://www.springerprofessional.de/en/texting-reading-and-other-daily-habits-associated-with-adolescen/10857408">text-messages</a> is not associated with the same level of literacy benefit.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/five-tips-to-help-you-make-the-most-of-reading-to-your-children-93659">Five tips to help you make the most of reading to your children</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>In addition, recent <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S009265660500053X">research</a> supports the relationship between reading fiction and the development of pro-social characteristics such as empathy and perspective taking. So reading fiction can help students to meet the <a href="https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-capabilities/personal-and-social-capability/">Personal and Social Capability</a> in the Australian Curriculum, among other general capabilities. Instead of buying into stereotypes, we should aim to meet our children’s individual reading interests and encourage a reading diet that includes fiction.</p>
<h2>Six strategies for connecting boys with books</h2>
<p>Here are six strategies you can use to connect boys with books and increase their reading engagement:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>just as your interests and views are not identical to all those of the same age and gender, boys have diverse <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0004944114565115">interests</a> and tastes. These don’t necessarily stay static over time. To match them with reading material they’re really interested in, initiate regular discussions about reading for pleasure, in order to keep up with their interests</p></li>
<li><p>schools should provide <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01930826.2017.1340774">access to libraries</a> during class time throughout the years of schooling. Girls may be more likely to visit a library in their free time than boys, and as children move through the years of schooling they may receive less access to libraries during class time, curtailing boys’ access to books. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/eie.12071">Access to books</a> is essential to promote reading</p></li>
<li><p>keep reading to and with boys for as long as possible, as many boys find it <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/Wm6JKfkqU9FfTNhgRQ7z/full">enjoyable</a> and beneficial beyond the early years</p></li>
<li><p>provide opportunities and expectations for <a href="https://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=702325343670795;res=E-LIBRARY">silent reading</a> at home and at school, despite competing demands on time</p></li>
<li><p>keep paper books available. Boys who are daily readers are even less likely to choose to read on screens than girls. The assumption that boys prefer to read on screens is not supported by <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01616846.2017.1354375">research</a></p></li>
<li><p>promote reading as an enjoyable and acceptable pastime by being a great role model. Let your <a href="https://ila.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/trtr.1703">children</a> or <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/eie.12126">students</a> see you read for pleasure.</p></li>
</ol>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/238835/original/file-20181002-195266-1auu5w7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/238835/original/file-20181002-195266-1auu5w7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/238835/original/file-20181002-195266-1auu5w7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/238835/original/file-20181002-195266-1auu5w7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/238835/original/file-20181002-195266-1auu5w7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/238835/original/file-20181002-195266-1auu5w7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/238835/original/file-20181002-195266-1auu5w7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Reading is for everyone.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>As a final comment, the OECD <a href="https://www.oecd.org/pisa/pisaproducts/46619703.pdf">note</a>: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>Although girls have higher mean reading performance, enjoy reading more and are more aware of effective strategies to summarise information than boys, the differences within genders are far greater than those between the genders. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>So, parents and educators seeking to support the literacy attainment of young people through increased reading engagement should focus on meeting the needs of <em>all</em> disengaged and struggling learners, regardless of gender.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/104140/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Margaret Kristin Merga receives or has received relevant funding from the Ian Potter Foundation, the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund and the Collier Foundation. </span></em></p>Girls are encouraged more often to read, despite performing better in reading assessments nationally and internationally. Here’s how parents and educators can help connect boys with books.Margaret Kristin Merga, Senior Lecturer in Education, Curtin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/913212018-03-08T03:25:19Z2018-03-08T03:25:19ZEnjoyment of reading, not mechanics of reading, can improve literacy for boys<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/209220/original/file-20180306-146697-tu8lsb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Even when teachers are supporting specific learning difficulties (such as dyslexia), it's important to expand boys’ repertoire of positive reading experiences.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Year 3 reading outcomes of <a href="http://www.nap.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/naplan-national-report-2017_final_04dec2017.pdf?sfvrsn=0">2017 NAPLAN</a> testing once again demonstrate a gender gap, with boys underachieving compared to girls. A focus on teaching for the test has not closed the gender gap and only reduced student motivation and <a href="http://www.uws.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/276191/High_Stakes_Testing_Literature_Review.pdf">well-being</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/209275/original/file-20180307-146645-b4jstu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/209275/original/file-20180307-146645-b4jstu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=346&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/209275/original/file-20180307-146645-b4jstu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=346&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/209275/original/file-20180307-146645-b4jstu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=346&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/209275/original/file-20180307-146645-b4jstu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=435&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/209275/original/file-20180307-146645-b4jstu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=435&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/209275/original/file-20180307-146645-b4jstu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=435&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Girls outperform boys in Year 3 reading across all states and territories.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">ACARA</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-07/naplan-call-review-after-report-reveals-no-change-in-decade/9519840">Calls for a review of NAPLAN</a> ten years on are timely. But as well as looking at how high-stakes testing is narrowing the curriculum and causing student <a href="https://au.educationhq.com/news/45994/experts-slam-naplan-call-for-federal-review/#">stress</a>, we need to consider the testing regime’s influence on boys’ attitudes towards reading. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/naplan-2017-results-have-largely-flat-lined-and-patterns-of-inequality-continue-88132">NAPLAN 2017: results have largely flat-lined, and patterns of inequality continue</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Attitudes towards reading</h2>
<p><a href="https://literacytrust.org.uk/policy-and-campaigns/all-party-parliamentary-group-literacy/boys-reading-commission/">Reports</a> increasingly highlight how negative attitudes towards reading constrain experiences for some boys. In the United Kingdom, a National Literacy Trust survey of 21,000 children aged eight to 16 found boys were more likely than girls to believe someone who reads is boring and a geek. </p>
<p>This attitude is believed to be related to deep-seated cultural issues that lead many boys to believe reading is feminine and “uncool”. Reluctance to read then translates into less time reading and lower achievement. </p>
<p>There is now a call in the UK for schools to have a policy of promoting <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/181204/110118.pdf">enjoyment of reading</a> rather than just a focus on effective teaching of phonics skills. </p>
<p>We have known for a long time that <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1002/rrq.021/abstract">positive attitudes towards reading influence boys’ engagement with reading</a>. Engagement influences practice, resulting in the <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/files/u81/Stanovich__1986_.pdf">Matthew Effect</a> as cumulative exposure to print accelerates development of reading processes and <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5731ee0840261d67c7155483/t/576c4c4cb8a79bcb10fe8251/1466715218324/Cunningham+and+Stanovich_Early+reading+acquisition+and+its+relation+to+reading+experience+and+ability+10+years+later_1998.pdf">knowledge</a>.</p>
<p>Attitudes towards reading are not innate; they are learned predispositions in response to favourable or unfavourable experiences. In this way, a boys’ attitude towards reading develops over time as the result of beliefs about reading and, importantly, specific reading experiences. </p>
<p>In Australia, the focus on NAPLAN has changed the landscape of teaching and literacy experiences for students. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a1bhx3H5Qic?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</figure>
<p>As part of this change, didactic teaching of reading for NAPLAN can compound negative attitudes about the nature of reading at school. Reading is seen as a passive (feminine) endeavour associated with boring schoolwork (preparing for the test). </p>
<p>While <a href="http://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=2733">teaching phonics</a> is already embedded in good teaching practice, the introduction of the Year 1 phonics check will potentially further narrow the curriculum as teachers are pressured to teach for yet another test. This initiative could also impact on <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/literacy-wars-the-proposed-reading-test-dividing-schools-20170819-gxzu7d.html">teaching practices</a> for reading in the early years. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-phonics-and-why-is-it-important-70522">Explainer: what is phonics and why is it important?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>If we are interested in enhancing reading outcomes for underachieving boys, we need to foster positive attitudes towards reading that translate into practice. The change needs to be from a focus on teaching reading to helping boys become successful and satisfied readers.</p>
<h2>Enjoyment correlates with NAPLAN outcomes</h2>
<p>My recent survey of 320 Year 3 children from 14 schools in Queensland identified their self-reported enjoyment of story books, non-fiction books, magazines and comics, and self-reported reading frequency. </p>
<p>Students coloured in a box to reflect an emotive face on a Likert scale to indicate their level of enjoyment and their frequency of reading. Students’ Year 3 NAPLAN reading outcomes were also collected.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/209414/original/file-20180307-146675-8dor.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/209414/original/file-20180307-146675-8dor.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=333&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/209414/original/file-20180307-146675-8dor.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=333&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/209414/original/file-20180307-146675-8dor.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=333&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/209414/original/file-20180307-146675-8dor.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=419&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/209414/original/file-20180307-146675-8dor.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=419&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/209414/original/file-20180307-146675-8dor.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=419&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A Likert scale is a psychometric scale commonly used for research questionnaires to gain a rating.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Findings from the <a href="https://www.discoveringstatistics.com/">Pearson</a> test of correlation between survey variables indicated correlation between higher student NAPLAN reading scores and higher levels of enjoyment for reading story books/non-fiction books and higher reading frequency. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between reading scores and reading frequency, and reading scores and reading enjoyment.</p>
<p>Even when teachers are supporting specific learning difficulties (such as dyslexia), it’s important to expand boys’ repertoire of positive reading experiences. This requires a shift from the exclusive teaching of the mechanics of reading to teaching practices that contextualise experiences and encourage enjoyment of <a href="http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/5400/1/RR636.pdf">reading</a>. </p>
<h2>Some strategies for success for boys (and girls):</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/209224/original/file-20180307-146691-7khqok.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/209224/original/file-20180307-146691-7khqok.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/209224/original/file-20180307-146691-7khqok.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/209224/original/file-20180307-146691-7khqok.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/209224/original/file-20180307-146691-7khqok.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/209224/original/file-20180307-146691-7khqok.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/209224/original/file-20180307-146691-7khqok.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Parent mentors can help engage boys in reading.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<ol>
<li><p><strong>Expand school reading cultures.</strong> Directly challenge beliefs about reading being a feminine pursuit. Teachers can select and use texts that challenge what it means to be male and the power structures that exist in school and <a href="https://globalconversationsinliteracy.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/piazza-criticallyrdgtexts.pdf">society</a>. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Focus on the <a href="https://core.ac.uk/display/15151072">arts</a>.</strong> <a href="http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/5400/1/RR636.pdf">Include</a> artists-in-residence schemes, poetry weeks, dance sessions run by professional dancers, and drama productions that allocate lead roles to disengaged boys. Boys often enjoy working with “readers’ theatre” scripts, which allow them to feel like active participants in a story. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Leave reading choices up to students 50% of the time</strong>. Provide a wide range of texts to stimulate interest and build confidence through paired reading schemes and teacher decisions to give students space to talk about and reflect on what was enjoyable. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Promote male mentoring.</strong> Include parent-mentors and vertical mentoring with older boys mentoring younger boys in the school. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Let them talk!</strong> Boys who are reluctant readers need to have successful reading experiences. Use literature circles with mixed-ability grouping, providing boys with the support they need to focus on the “big ideas” in the story, as well as on the words and structure of the texts.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Include variety</strong>. Use interactive classroom activities fit for purpose so that both short, specific focused activities and more sustained, ongoing activities are used, as and when appropriate. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Risk-taking in teacher practice</strong>. Bring more creativity and variety. Expose students to new and novel reading experiences. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Implement teaching practices that encourage discussion.</strong> Based on <a href="http://www.philosophy4children.co.uk/home/p4c/">Philosophy for Children</a>, enhance <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0270271820030306">reading comprehension</a> as students explore different answers, examine the strengths and weaknesses for each, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/want-to-improve-naplan-scores-teach-children-philosophy-64536">critically reflect</a> on assumptions along the way. </p></li>
</ol>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/research-shows-the-importance-of-parents-reading-with-children-even-after-children-can-read-82756">Research shows the importance of parents reading with children – even after children can read</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<p>When the focus is on teaching for the test, direct instruction and an exclusive focus on phonics, there is a narrowing of curriculum and teaching practice. Strategies can be easily implemented in the classroom. We need to move from teaching reading for NAPLAN testing, to teaching boys to enjoy reading to ensure their success.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/91321/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Laura Scholes receives funding from the Australian Research Council and is the current recipient of a Discovery Early Career Research Award (DECRA). </span></em></p>Moving away from direct instruction and teaching to the test and towards making sure boys enjoy reading will improve outcomes.Laura Scholes, Research Fellow, Australian Research Council (DECRA), School of Early Childhood and Inclusive Education, Queensland University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/352602015-02-16T19:35:25Z2015-02-16T19:35:25ZFathers can make a difference in getting sons to read<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/66719/original/image-20141209-32165-mguvye.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Getting boys interested in books can be tough - but dads can help</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/95072945@N05/12779343884">Flickr/Kelly Sikkema</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Engaging boys in reading can be tough. Many parents find that their boys either aren’t interested in sitting still long enough, or they often perceive reading as a “girl thing”. The consequences of boys not reading as frequently or as copiously as girls can be dire. National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy <a href="http://www.nap.edu.au/verve/_resources/NAPLAN_2013_National_Report.PDF">(NAPLAN) data</a> shows that girls have consistently outperformed boys in reading across the last six years of assessments. <a href="http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED492634">Research also indicates</a> that boys are three to five times more likely than girls to have a reading or learning disability.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.canberra.edu.au/researchrepository/items/0dd29841-cb46-e32b-0450-824b72afb1fe/1/">Experts agree</a> that when it comes to engaging boys with books, the key is reading with dads, uncles and grandfathers. When fathers engage with their sons in reading, the level of boys’ engagement, interest and participation are known to change. Dads are able to engage their sons in different ways with books, usually by hooking into shared interests and developing sustainable reading habits.</p>
<p>The following tips are easy ways for dads to start or further develop quality reading relationships with their boys.</p>
<h2>Spend quality time reading together</h2>
<p>Dads are frequently seen as an <a href="http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource/3024">untapped resource</a> when assisting their boys with reading. When boys see their fathers as frequent and resourceful readers, this sets the scene for their future reading lives. Dads who share quality reading time with their sons are role-modelling effective reading behaviours.</p>
<p>Reading at home together is an excellent way to build quality reading time, though also consider making time to head into your son’s classroom for reading when you are available. Make a special time together on weekends to venture to the local library or bookstores.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/66720/original/image-20141209-32168-i9l5k2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/66720/original/image-20141209-32168-i9l5k2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/66720/original/image-20141209-32168-i9l5k2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/66720/original/image-20141209-32168-i9l5k2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/66720/original/image-20141209-32168-i9l5k2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/66720/original/image-20141209-32168-i9l5k2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/66720/original/image-20141209-32168-i9l5k2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/66720/original/image-20141209-32168-i9l5k2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Dads should be reading role models.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/knittingzeal/3670530766">Flickr/Diane</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<h2>Read about shared interests</h2>
<p>Males traditionally have different reading interests than females. This is evident from a quick glance at the magazine section of your local newsagent. Boys therefore usually won’t want to read the same thing as their sisters or female classmates will.</p>
<p>Encourage boys to choose what they are interested in reading. If they want to frequently read non-fiction texts about animals or dinosaurs, this is okay. Don’t restrict your boys’ choice in reading – when choices are restricted, a huge disincentive to read is created.</p>
<p>Dads need to share their favourite texts with their boys – talk about the types of authors, what happens in the story and what the characters are like. If you generally read only magazines or the sport pages in the paper, talk about these too. This sharing builds strong relationships around reading and demonstrates that reading takes on many different forms.</p>
<h2>Read different types of books</h2>
<p>Frequently, we get trapped into thinking that there are only one or two types of books that children should be reading. The first is usually picture books, which we then expect children to grow out of as they progress towards reading novels. However, these types of text don’t always engage young male readers.</p>
<p>When considering books to suggest to your boys, try to think of a broad range of different types of texts. Comics, or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphic_novel">graphic novels</a> as they are now frequently known, are engaging, fast-paced, detailed and are usually tailored to boys’ interests.</p>
<p>Traditionally, it has been considered that reading graphic novels is a lesser form of reading, or the easy option that boys often take. However, the large amount of reading required in most graphic novels provides a great source of reading practice. The detailed and complex illustrations serve as a great in-built support for boys to figure out the meaning of the text and unknown words. </p>
<p>Many traditional print texts that boys love are now also available as graphic novels, such as Emily Rodda’s <a href="http://www.randomhouse.com.au/books/emily-rodda/deltora-quest-10-9781612620169.aspx">Deltora Quest</a>. These provide a different and often more interesting way to access the text.</p>
<h2>Laugh and have fun</h2>
<p>Boys love humour, and the plethora of humorous books that are in print makes these a popular choice. By having fun with books, we are encouraging boys to come back and read again and again. Andy Griffiths is a celebrated Australian author and his classic <a href="http://andygriffiths.com.au/books/thedaymybumwentpsycho.htm">The Day My Bum Went Psycho</a> is a perfect place to start.</p>
<h2>Use technology to engage your boys</h2>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/ereaders-arent-destroying-reading-theyre-just-changing-it-34664">As I have written previously</a>, eReaders are often the bridge that is needed to engage a reluctant reader with a new and different text. Many eReading apps and devices support graphic novels, comics, newspapers and magazines. You might find that reading with your son becomes a richer experience when there is a broad range of interesting books to choose from.</p>
<p>Another clever way for time-poor Dads to engage in reading with their boys is to record themselves reading a chapter, or a short piece of text, using the recording function on a smartphone or iPod. This enables your son to read along a favourite text with you, when you can’t be present physically. Funny voices when reading always make an enticing surprise for the listener.</p>
<p>Allowing boys the opportunities to see the men in their lives as strong, resourceful and avid readers helps to demonstrate the importance of reading. Take the time to read, discuss and enjoy books with your son, grandson or nephew to help set them up for reading success.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/35260/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ryan Spencer does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Engaging boys in reading can be tough. Many parents find that their boys either aren’t interested in sitting still long enough, or they often perceive reading as a “girl thing”. The consequences of boys…Ryan Spencer, Clinical Teaching Specialist; Lecturer in Literacy Education, University of CanberraLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.