Text Selection
Text selection For several years now, attention has been paid to finding books that appeal to boys by being more “masculine” (focusing on sports, war, competition, and so on). This approach, however, brings up questions of stereotypes and reinforcing behaviors or attitudes which may not benefit students. Just as teachers should avoid “feminizing” boys by discouraging masculine characteristics, so too should they resist “choosing books that match stereotyped views of boys’ interests and capacities that may perpetuate those stereotypes and deny alternative interests.” (Millard, as described in Smith and Wilhelm, 2002, p. 14)
Taking a simpler approach, author Jon Scieszka has created Guys Read, “a literacy program to connect boys with books they will want to read.” Based on Scieszka’s own experience as well as input from “Guys Read voters,” the program’s website recommends books that boys say they like. Implicit in the site is the notion that by reading more books that interest them, “boys become better readers, better students, better guys.” Pirie affirms the need for resources such as Guys Read by pointing out that although girls often discover good books to read by word of mouth, boys “almost never recommend books to each other.” (2002, p. 80).
Smith and Wilhelm (2002) also found that allowing students choice in their reading selection broadened text types read in class and encouraged boys’ interest in reading itself. However, they also caution teachers to maintain a balance of self-selected and teacher-recommended or required books so that students can nurture interests they bring to school as well as be encouraged to develop new interests. Boys’ interests not only transcend the stereotypes but also are “surprisingly rich and varied.” (p. 94) While boys might resist reading texts assigned for class, they would often read similar types of texts on topics that interested them or texts that were recommended by a respected peer or family member. “While the boys were passionate about the literate activities they pursued outside of school, they usually saw school literacy as a tool, not something to be passionate about.” (p. 94) While discouraging in some ways, the boys’ attitudes do offer an opportunity for teachers to bridge the gap by helping them make connections — even passionate connections — with literature read for class.
Wilhelm reflects in a later article, “The reason that certain text types (like nonfiction) and features of texts (visuals) tend to engage boys has much less to do with the text itself, and much more to do with the connection these features encourage readers to make to the world.” (Wilhelm 2002, p. 16) These features include length of text, visual elements, level of challenge, edginess, realism/believability, immediacy, appropriate levels of challenge, and humor (Wilhelm 2002; Smith and Wilhelm 2002). Guys Read and many book recommendation websites focus on young adult texts that meet those criteria.
Taking a simpler approach, author Jon Scieszka has created Guys Read, “a literacy program to connect boys with books they will want to read.” Based on Scieszka’s own experience as well as input from “Guys Read voters,” the program’s website recommends books that boys say they like. Implicit in the site is the notion that by reading more books that interest them, “boys become better readers, better students, better guys.” Pirie affirms the need for resources such as Guys Read by pointing out that although girls often discover good books to read by word of mouth, boys “almost never recommend books to each other.” (2002, p. 80).
Smith and Wilhelm (2002) also found that allowing students choice in their reading selection broadened text types read in class and encouraged boys’ interest in reading itself. However, they also caution teachers to maintain a balance of self-selected and teacher-recommended or required books so that students can nurture interests they bring to school as well as be encouraged to develop new interests. Boys’ interests not only transcend the stereotypes but also are “surprisingly rich and varied.” (p. 94) While boys might resist reading texts assigned for class, they would often read similar types of texts on topics that interested them or texts that were recommended by a respected peer or family member. “While the boys were passionate about the literate activities they pursued outside of school, they usually saw school literacy as a tool, not something to be passionate about.” (p. 94) While discouraging in some ways, the boys’ attitudes do offer an opportunity for teachers to bridge the gap by helping them make connections — even passionate connections — with literature read for class.
Wilhelm reflects in a later article, “The reason that certain text types (like nonfiction) and features of texts (visuals) tend to engage boys has much less to do with the text itself, and much more to do with the connection these features encourage readers to make to the world.” (Wilhelm 2002, p. 16) These features include length of text, visual elements, level of challenge, edginess, realism/believability, immediacy, appropriate levels of challenge, and humor (Wilhelm 2002; Smith and Wilhelm 2002). Guys Read and many book recommendation websites focus on young adult texts that meet those criteria.
