ABSTRACT

In recent years the issue of boys and literacy, namely that they are worse at it compared to girls, has become a key area of interest to all those concerned with the education of our children. This book highlights the key factors causing this divide and discusses the implementation of new strategies to overcome it, which have been the result of extensive qualitative research made by the author. Trisha Maynard reports case study findings of a primary school whose staff wanted to explore and improve boys' attitudes towards and attainment in literacy, and in particular their difficulties with writing.
The book highlights issues concerning the reading and writing of stories, what teachers understand by 'good story writing' and the importance of teachers exploring boys' and girls' difficulties with literacy by themselves. It provides significant insight into boys' difficulties with writing as well as informing teachers how to find out about children's attainment.

chapter |6 pages

Introduction

part I|48 pages

Setting the scene

chapter 1|14 pages

The context

A problem of gender

chapter 3|12 pages

The project

Methods and issues

part II|72 pages

Complications

chapter 4|13 pages

Teachers' perceptions of boys, girls and the teaching of literacy 1

‘It's the way they tell them’

chapter 5|22 pages

Taking a closer look

chapter 6|18 pages

Children talking about literacy

Out of the mouths of babes

chapter 7|18 pages

So where do we go from here?

part III|18 pages

Towards a resolution?

chapter 8|17 pages

Looking back

Exploring the ‘boys and literacy’ issue