KEY FINDINGS
> > In elementary school, boys are twice as likely to be placed in special education classes as girls (Tyre, 2006). > > “More boys than girls are in special education classes. More boys than girls are prescribed mood-managing drugs. This suggests that today’s schools are built for girls, and boys are becoming misfits” (Von Drehle, 2007). > > Compared to 2010, in 2012 boys were more likely to think reading books for fun was important (39% in 2010 vs. 47% in 2012), but they still lagged behind girls on this measure (47% for boys in 2012 vs. 56% for girls in 2012) (Scholastic, 2013). > > Among children who have read an e-book, one in five says he or she is reading more books for fun; boys are more likely to agree than girls (26% vs. 16%) (Scholastic, 2013). More to Know: Boys Lag Academically When it comes to reading, girls seem to have the jump on boys. According to a 2010 study by the Center on Education Policy, boys are lagging behind girls on standardized reading tests in all 50 states, and in some states, boys are trailing girls by as much as 10 percentage points (although note Lukits’s 2016 research and the achievement surge boys demonstrated when they were told that the reading test was a “game”—then they outscored the girls!). In Virginia and New Hampshire, for example, middle school girls did better than boys in reading proficiency by 15 percentage points. In New York, girls were 13 percentage points ahead. Jack Jennings, the president of the Center on Education Policy, notes, “In the past, boys did not do better in the first couple years of school. Girls did better. But then boys caught up. The difference now is we’re finding that boys are not catching up.” Of course, like most things in life, the reason for the reading achievement gap between boys and girls is multifaceted. In Teenage Boys and High School English , Bruce Pirie (2002) reminds readers of biological differences—for example, boys tend to develop language skills more slowly than girls. And socially, female teachers and librarians typically shape school reading. For some students, reading may be regarded as a “feminine, passive activity,” with boys favoring more rugged and active pastimes such as sports or other outdoor activities. Also, boys may not feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and feelings about the books they read. No question it’s complicated, and in fact, Pirie cautions that the challenge is best viewed as a gender continuum: “We must be prepared for the likelihood that strategies intended to help boys will also benefit many girls” (2002).
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CHAPTER 1: READERS
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