Engaging disinterested readers with advanced secondary school material has been a complex problem for generations. In recent years, the problem has become distinctly gendered. Low engagement with literacy begins in early education and, if not addressed, becomes a significant problem for young men in high school. A study in the journal New Library World reports that by secondary school some boys have simply "ceased reading". Increasing the literacy achievements of young men is a multifaceted and complicated issue. This article aims to provide some simple, boy-friendly teaching techniques that may help to alleviate classroom frustration and even spark the interest of disengaged male students.
Activity
In general, teenage boys show a more positive response to kinesthetic, competitive and interactive aspects of a lecture. When asked to sit quietly and take notes for an hour lesson, generally young women cope with the task more successfully than their male peers. Techniques to engage students with literature include:
- Interactive and tactile components, such as building storyboards, using online media, acting out a scene from a play or reading aloud.
- Turn ordinary lessons into games and competitive challenges. Instead of lecturing on grammar principles, divide the class into teams and let them compete to answer questions correctly.
- Use a combination of testing methods: written and oral tests, participation points, extra credit awards.
Research has shown that boys tend to thrive under male leadership in single sex classrooms; however, it’s not always possible to provide separate learning environments in a mixed high school. Many interactive and competitive learning methods will also appeal to young women in the classroom. The point is to use a variety of activities, challenges and methods to engage the full range of individual interests and abilities in the class.
Integrate Adolescent Literature
In the mid-20th century, Dr. Robert Havighurst of the University of Chicago identified 11 developmental tasks unique to the period of adolescence. These include:
- Forming a new sense of identity
- Increased cognitive demands
- Preparing for an adult occupation
- Establishing emotional and psychological independence
- Developing a personal value system
- Forming stable peer relationships
Adolescent literature engages the reader by using such tasks as the primary plot points. Selecting literature with a relatable male protagonist, such as Holden Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye, can draw teenage boys into the process of reading comprehension and reflection.
Use Technology
A study by the Pew Research Center shows that 97 percent of teens aged 12 to 17 play computer, web, portable or console games. Of those teens who play games on a daily basis, 65 percent are male and 35 percent are female. Such technology may seem diametrically opposed to a subject concerned with books, text, reading and writing; however, there are many ways that English teachers can use electronic media to enhance a lesson. These include:
- Access to ebooks, online collections and digital libraries
- Online literacy and grammar games
- Web-based research
- Supplementing lessons with video clips, PowerPoint or interactive SMART Boards
Creativity
Enthusiasm about the topic and an ability to convey that interest to the class is much more important than the particular disposition of the teacher. Engaging does not mean that the teacher needs to be particularly funny, charismatic or animated. Rather, it is the ability to make the subject matter interesting. Keeping a class engaged may need a creative approach. For instance, a text like Waldon Pond can be enhanced by holding a lesson outside, while props, costumes or the stage itself bring Shakespearean plays to life.
Select Boy-Friendly Topics
Standard high school curriculum and the classics of high school literature cannot be ignored. Still, efforts must be made to appeal to the interests of young men who refuse to engage with such high school staples as Pride and Prejudice or Romeo and Juliet.
Virginia Tech has produced a useful list titled "Cool Books for Tough Guys", which is targeted to adolescent males who do not enjoy reading. Certain high schools allow students to choose from a selection of approved reading materials to suit their personal interests and reading level. If such books cannot be incorporated into the curriculum, they can be distributed to boys on a recommended reading list or extra credit can be granted for those who prove they are reading high-school level or above books in their spare time.
Because of inherent differences in taste, interpretation and personal style, it is quite important to introduce students to literary criticism, to provide clear answers about the quality of literary pieces and to refrain from subjecting student’s work to undue critical assessment. It should be clear to the students what is considered ‘good’ or against what standard their work will be judged. This will prevent further discouragement for students who have likely been disheartened with literature for the majority of their educational career.
References
Pew Research Center Publications
Virginia Tech: "Cool Books for Tough Guys"
Developmental Tasks of Adolescence
Erin Connelly - Since 2003 Erin Connelly has been a writer for university, government and nonprofit publications. She has edited submissions for "Nature," ...
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