Outline



Sorry about the spacing on this - I couldn't correct it with editing and wasn't up to retyping it at this point.

1. Introduction

Taylor (2004) --professional literature confirms: In the same way that we need to promote success for girls in the areas of math and science, we need to promote literacy success for boys. It is important for educators to look at the unique problems associated with gender so that we can promote learning that helps all of our students evolve into productive world citizens.

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Summarize our argument/conclusions

Taylor (2004) We might also reflect on our practice to question whether we always remember to be sensitive to the individual learning pace of each boy, as well as his learning style. We then might seek to employ innovative teaching strategies that build upon boys' current interests in ways that are sensitive to their individual developmental and emotional needs.

2. The gender gap

A. Existence 1. Documentation **Below & Skinner (2010) summarize data and suggest that there are three common categories to which the achievement gap is attributed: 1. physiological-maturational, 2. environmental or cultural/social and 3. Interest/motivation** Brozo, Shiel, & Topping (2007) uses the PISA study which is the Program for International Student Assessment. There are 32 participating countries. PISA seeks to measure "how well young adults, approaching the end of compulsory schooling, are prepared to meet the challenges of today's 'knowledge societies'." (305). PISA broadly defines illiteracy and looks at the application of skills (reading to learn). Assesses 15 year olds, primarily 9th grade. PISA shows females are more positive toward reading, read more, & outperform males (quoted from Kirsch et al 2002).

Taylor (2004) The 2000 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) indicates that at grade 12 there is no significant difference between girls and boys in science (O'Sullivan, Lauko, Grigg, Qian, & Zhang, 2003), and in math only a small gap exists between the average scale scores of boys and girls, while girls at each grade had higher math scores in 2000 than in 1990 (Santapau, 2001). However, in our zeal to close the gender gap for girls, we may have overlooked the wide gender gap that exists for boys in the area of literacy.

This gender gap in literacy is equivalent to about one and a half years of school (Gurian, 1998).

In 1985, the International Association of Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) investigated writing achievement across 14 countries and found gender to be the most powerful predictor of performance.

a. Biological differences **Sax (2005) "The failure to recognize and respect sex differences in child development has done substantial harm over the past 30 years..." (page 7) "Male & female brains are organized differently" - page 12. Male brains are more compartmentalized, female more global** ** Genetic differences in hormones and proteins in brian tissue ** ** Genetic differences in hearing ** ** Genetic differences does not mean all boys are alike or all girls are alike, but that boys are more like each other than girls. ** ** Virginia Tech research (page 93) suggests regions develop in different sequences in boys and girls (fine motor skills, spatial memory) ** Smith & Wilhelm discourage broad generalizations as there are always boys who are excellent students - express concern that emphasizing problems hides strengths that can be used (page xix) Social constructivism position - changing instructional environments, methods, and expectations can change the experience of kids and how they learn and interact. Focusing on social and school influences seems to be promising (page 7) propose that helping boys in school will also benefit girls at the same time. (page 9) - cannot oversimplify the trends and statistics summarize decades of research (page 10-11) c. Worldwide data **All from sources cited in Marinak & Grambell (2010) - Citing National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) from 1992-2003, "revealed that girls in grades 4, 8, and 12 consistently performed better than their male counterparts in reading achievement" (National Center for Education Statistics, 2006).** **Presentation paper - need to find and cite directly National Literacy Trust, 2001, fourth grade girls perform significantly higher than boys on reading in all G8 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russion, the UK & US)**
 * b. School expectations / social expectations **

Below & Skinner 2010 - analyzed DIBELS scores in a cross section sample and found that girls enter with higher literacy skills but those do not necessarily persist over grade levels and times (this contradicts other research) **From Smith & Wilhelm page 2 - Newkirk (2000) "points out that the gap between the girls and boys is 'comparable to the difference between Whites and racial/ethnic groups that have suffered systematic social and economic discrimination in this country" (page 295).** From Freedmon, B. (2003) - In Canada,the number of students who pass the grade 10 Literacy test is smaller for boys, larger for girls. Statistics Canada (2002 p16) - gender, language, and socioeconomics are all significantly associated with achievement

King & Gurian All over the world boys are struggling in school, with lower grades, more discipline problems, more learning disabilities, and more behavior disorders than girls (Gurian & Stevens, 2005).

d. All subjects?? 2. Other explanations for gap (socio-economic) **Marinak & Gambrell - gap can be partially attributed to motivation - cites Durik, et al 2006, Morh 2006, Pecjak & Paklaj, 2006, Smith & Wilhelm 2002)** Kindlon & Thompson suggest cultural influences play a role in education - boys emotions are not valued, use less impulse control and that impacts learning  **Sax (2007) - suggests 5 factors that drive boys away from reading (video games, medications for ADHD, endocrine disruptions (chemicals), devaluation of masculinity, and changes in education "Thirty years ago, kindergarten was primarily about socialization. Typical activities then would have included finger-painting, singing in rounds, playing duck-duck goose, etc. Not any more. Today, kindergarten is first and foremost about teaching literacy and learning basic arithmetic. In 2007, the kindergarten curriculum at most American schools, both public and private, looks very much like the first-grade curriculum of 1977. Nowadays, it's all about learning to read and write.”** Brozo, Shiel & Topping - the gap in performance "can be largely explained by differences in engagement in reading" page 308 Also cite that low SES w/ high engagement perform as well as middle SES with low engagement, high SES with middle engagement. B. At what age is it evident and how does it grow or change over time? Does it ever end? **From Ready, LoGerfo, Burkam, & Lee (2005)** **The authors used data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Cohort of 1998-9 (ELCS-K) which was conducted by the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES). The purpose of the NCES data collection is to record the progress of a representative group of US students from grades K-5. Data analysis indicates that girls enter with better developed literacy skills and learn slightly more over the course of the kindergarten year. Much of the gap at the end of the year is accounted for because of the gap at the beginning of the year which persists over the course of the year. Differences in students' approaches to learning such as attentiveness, persistence to tasks, interest in learning, and independence impacted the gap more significantly than disruptive behaviors or lower self-control. The authors point out that small differences early on often compound and grow into more significant differences later on.**


 * 3. Adolescent boys **

Freedmon (2003) - used focus groups with boys in grades 4-6 and concluded that boys want more choice in what they read and that they want more science fiction or high action books. 2. engagement **Smith & Wilhelm - boys interviewed believed reading and school literacy were importand but didn't feel it was relevant to their lives so often didn't engage in it. (page 94)** **Boys also tend to have a more narrow view of literacy - when they did engage in it they may not typically define it as literacy (newspapers, manuals, etc.)** Brozo, Shiel & Topping 2007 - There is documentation that there is a decline or slump in achievement and motivation that happens in the upper elementary and middle school years (307). This is shown to happen in countries other than the US. PISA defines engagement as "Diversity of reading - the frequency with which students reported reading six types of text (magazines, comics, fiction books, nonfiction books, e-mail, and web pages), Frequency of leisure reading - the frequency with which students engaged in leisure reading on a daily basis, Attitude toward reading - the extent to which students' agreed with statements such as "I read only if I have to,", "Reading is one of my favorite hobbies" and " I cannot sit still and read for more than a few minutes". - Taken from chart on page 307. PISA youth from low SES who were highly engaged performs as well as middle & some high SES students (from Kirsch 2002). 3. masculinity & stereotypes (teacher, student, culture)  4. attitudes & other interests  5. confidence  **Smith & Wilhelm - Competence was very important to adolescence, value personal relationships with staff as important to learning, participatory or hands-on response to reading (drama - short, scriptless), purposeful, problem-oriented work, personal expression, powerful ideas and depth, control and choice, "passionate teaching and creative activities can develop and nurture interests and expertise in school subjects" page 111, having an appropriate challenge, length, style, & familiarity of text are all factors. Boys desire clear purposes (goals) and feedback**
 * A. issues in literacy achievement **
 * 1. motivation **
 * a. choice **


 * 4. Elementary (K-3) boys & literacy **

From Marinak & Gambrell - Used a Motivation to Read Profile (MRP) - survey version with 3rd graders. Data collection and analysis show average readers (both girls and boys) are equally self-confident about their reading skills. Boys (average readers) are less motivated to read and value reading less than average girls. Suggestions are "Future research should focus on how to construct classroom environments that foster intrinsic motivation to read and are highly motivating for all children. In particular, research is needed to more fully understand why preadolescent boys value reading less than girls. Especially critical is the need to identify specific instructional practices that encourage boys to value reading at every age" (page 137).
 * A. issues in literacy achievement **
 * 1. motivation **

a. choice Taylor (2004) Millard (1997) 'suggests that boys are disadvantaged in academic literacy as a result of current curricular emphases, teacher text and topic choices, and lack of availability of texts that match their interests and needs' (as cited in Smith & Wilhelm, 2002, p. 14). Likewise, Probst (2003) argued, "If we want [boys] to read carefully and analyze conscientiously, then the works they study have to matter to them" (p.16).

Smith and Wilhelm (2002), in their recent study of boys, discovered that 'boys almost universally felt that school denied them choice and control and therefore any sense of personal agency or competence" (p. 109).

King & Gurian (2006) -a focus on action and heroism for males. Letting boys read and write on these topics has improved their papers. Also provides more opportunities to teach lessons on character, nonviolence, and civility. Giving students greater choice in what they read and write has improved writing among both boys and girls.

2. engagement Taylor (2004) 'Valuing' by the schools would not only change the way statistics report boys' literacy acts, but would increase their literacy skills by broadening their own definitions of literacy. When this broader definition includes what boys are already doing with literacy, it would increase their sense of self efficacy with reading and writing, encourage them to read and write more, and promote the image of reading as a masculine, as well as a feminine, act.

3. masculinity & stereotypes (teacher, student, culture) Taylor (2004) -all boys are unique individuals, and we must be careful not to make stereotypical assumptions about what they will like.

4. attitudes & other interests King & Gurian (2006) The task oriented discussion and interaction, the physical movement, and the orientation in space access the boys' neurological strengths, keeping them energized and attentive.

5. confidence Taylor (2004) -Our teaching styles need to include activities in which boys will feel confident and successful.

5. Conclusions & Implications (what we’ve learned & what we think about research) A. Less research with elementary B. Why hasn’t more been done? Would more focus on this in the elementary grades lessen disengagement in the middle school C. Attempts should be made in the early grades to minimize the gap (our views) D. connect to research

For Later... Strategies **Ready, LoGerfo, Burkam, & Lee (2005) - suggest Kindergarten teachers focus more on learning approaches (attentiveness, eagerness, persistence to task, independence)** Brozo, W.G. (2006) - use boys' bassions and interest to increase engagement and literacy learning **Freedmon, B. (2003) - more movement breaks, hands-on activities, male role models, use technology** Smith & Wilhelm (2002) - Frontloading, helping make personal connections, choice. **Brozo, Shiel & Topping (2007) - increased time in personalized "free" reading, accounting system, purposeful engagment assignments, alternative, non-continuous texts, computer use/electronic texts, model reading a diverse range of texts, practice in reading leveled texts, self-selection,

Taylor (2004) -boys only book club, gives them a chance to choose books and topics that will allow them to discuss their unique interests and ideas at their own pace. -recruiting male volunteers from the community to help with book clubs, to read to boys, and to do book talks. -engage boys emotionally with texts through drama.

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