DCSF Gender and Achievement site. Website for teachers that aims to offer help and guidance on gender and achievement issues by sharing successful experiences of schools and LEAs, providing up-to-date information from the DCFS and its partners, and offering an overview of recent research on gender and educational achievement. Visit http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/genderandachievement/
Differently
Literate: Boys, Girls and the Schooling of Literacy
by Elaine Millard. This gives insight into children's habits
of literacy engagement at home and school revealing a connection
between gender roles and attitudes towards reading and writing.
Published by RoutledgeFalmer. ISBN: 0750706619
Getting
it Right for Boys - and Girls by Colin Noble and Wendy
Bradford. Published by RoutledgeFalmer. ISBN: 0415208858
Making
Gender Work by Judith Baxter. Booklet that aims to
help teachers ensure that boys and girls have the same opportunities
in the classroom. Cost £4.50. Contact: National Centre
for Language and Literacy, The University of Reading, Bulmershe
Court, Reading RG6 1HY. Tel: 0118 378 8820.
Reading
the Difference: gender and reading in the primary school
edited by Myra Barrs and Sue Pidgeon, Centre for Literacy
in Primary Education. ISBN: 187226705X. Contact: CLPE, Webber
Street, London SE1 8QW. Tel: 020 7401 3382.
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Boys
and writing edited by Myra Barrs and Sue Pidgeon,
Centre for Literacy in Primary Education.
The gap between boys' and girls' achievement in literacy is
greatest in writing. This collection of articles was written
by participants in a CLPE project which gave teachers the
opportunity to develop classroom strategies to improve boys'
writing. Two key themes emerged from the project: changing
boys' attitudes to writing and finding teaching techniques
to give boys 'ways in' which they felt familiar with and where
they could succeed. Several teachers noted that their target
group preferred activities where they had some choice or where
a challenge was set, although this by itself was not enough
to improve the quality of writing. Visual stimuli, ICT, video
and drama were quickly identified as good ways in; nonetheless,
the success of the whole range of strategies hinged on improving
motivation, attitude and purpose, and the use of this support.
Of course, these points are not restricted to the teaching
of writing to boys: good practice in writing benefits all
pupils. Published December 2002. ISBN: 1872267262. Cost: £14.00.
Contact: CLPE, Webber Street, London SE1 8QW. Tel: 020 7401
3382.
Boys Can Do Better Booklet produced by Kent County Council
in association with local schools. The aim of this booklet
is to inform and provide teachers with ideas for raising the
standards of boys' writing in their schools without any detrimental
effect on girls. The case studies included have been written
by Kent teachers and are based on work implemented in their
classrooms. The working group, analysed the data and explored
different strategies to raise boys' achievement in English.
The group investigated ways to harness and document good practice
across the county.
Download
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Can Do Better. A report with practical suggestions
for improving boys' enthusiasm for and attainment in English.
Cost: £3.00. Contact: Qualifications and Curriculum
Authority, PO Box 29, Norwich NR3 1GN. Tel: 08700 606015.
Website: http://orderline.qca.org.uk
Failing
Boys? Issues in Gender and Achievement edited by Debbie
Epstein, Jannette Elwood, Valerie Hey & Janet Maw. Includes
challenges to a number of the many myths that surround the
issue of boys' academic achievement plus a series of case
studies and a useful catalogue of surveys, educational
research and quotes from relevant educational documents.
Published by Open University Press. ISBN: 0335202381. www.amazon.co.uk/Failing-Boys-Issues-Gender-Achievement/
Focus
on Boys: Guidance on Improving Attainment, Particularly in
Literacy Guidance commissioned as part of Northern
Ireland's Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment
School Improvement Programme. Provides schools with issues
to consider and specific steps to take to improve boys' attainment.
Contact: Northern Ireland's Council for the Curriculum, Examinations
and Assessment. Tel: 028 9026 1200 or visit www.ccea.org.uk.
Me read? No way!: A practical guide to improving boys literacy
A useful survey of effective practice originally produced in Canada, now put online by the Welsh Assembly government. Download free of charge from: http://www.boysliteracywales.co.uk/resources/46500_D224_Main_Eng.pdf
Improving Writing at Key Stages 3 and 4
Boys are more sophisticated writers and better spellers than girls despite their poor performance at English GCSE, according to a three-year study by the QCA back in 1999. But boys are outclassed in English exams because they write short, action-based stories and include less explanation than girls. Boys have many strengths in English, including greater technical skill and better vocabulary than girls. Boys used capital letters, full stops, commas and clauses more accurately than girls. They also tended to write longer sentences than their female classmates, an analysis of 300 A, C and F grade exam scripts from 1998 found. This report includes examples of children's writing and ideas on how to improve writing. An interesting piece of research.
Download free from www.qcda.gov.uk/libraryAssets/media/3396_improving_writing_ks3_4.pdf or order from the
from QCA on 01787 884 444 Ref: QCA/00/392, 1999, £6.
Securing Boys' Literacy: a survey of effective practice
primary schools by Graham Frater. Report from the Basic
Skills Agency based on a survey of effective practice in 12
LEAs. It lists boy-oriented measures to improve literacy skills,
including support, rewards and sanctions, with case studies.
Cost £4.50 plus p&p (reference A918). Contact: Basic
Skills Agency Publications. Tel: 0870 600 2400. Website: www.basic-skills.co.uk.
What Works in Secondary Schools - Catching up with basic
skills A practical analysis of effective practice in raising
standards of basic skills. Contact: Basic Skills Agency publications
order line. Tel: 020 7405 4017.
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Teaching with comics. A website created for teachers,
parents and librarians has articles, reviews and lesson plans
about teaching with comics. The website, created by an early
years teacher in Canada, is based on the theory that 'if you
can't get a boy to read or write anything but that same boy
has a different Spider-Man t-shirt for every day of the week
you might be ignoring his greatest motivator'. For more information
visit http://comicsintheclassroom.net/
Boys
and Reading edited by Myra Barrs and Sue Pidgeon.
Centre for Literacy in Primary Education. A collection of
reports on projects and practical suggestions to widen boys'
reading, suggested by teachers in both primary and secondary
schools. Contact: CLPE, Webber Street, London SE1 8QW. Tel:
020 7401 3382.
Boys'
literacy ploys for boys: selections, recollections and strategies
to get boys reading.
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See also specialist book suppliers for reluctant readers
Books to Enjoy with Boys in Mind - booklist of recommended titles.
Boys into Books: Riveting Reads. These publications were produced by the School Library Association and commissioned by the DCSF to support boys reading. They are split into a key stage 2 and a key stage 3 section and aim to provide information about titles which might attract and enthuse boys about reading for pleasure. For more information visit www.sla.org.uk/boys-into-books-overview.php or download the booklists free as pdfs here:
Boys into books list for ages 5-11
Boys into books list for ages 11-14
Reading Champions book boxes Reading Champions has joined forces with Badger Publishing to produce three specially selected collections of books for boys. The three selections are for key stage 2 and key stage 3. All of the books that appear in the book boxes have been written by a Reading Champion author, recommended by a famous Champion or chosen by teachers and professionals who have used them successfully to engage boys with reading. The selections avoid well-known favourites and instead strive to offer a list that is eclectic, rich and diverse. The books cover a great variety of subjects, styles and formats to excite even the most reluctant boy; graphic novels, non-fiction, sport, humour, poetry, horror and adventure are all represented. There are books for reluctant or struggling readers, alongside challenging novels for the ardent reader.
To order the boxes, please visit the Badger website:
Box for ages 7-9
Box for ages 9-11
Box for ages 11-14
Books that have worked well with boys. This list was compiled following the 2005 NLT primary conference. Delegates were asked which books they find work particularly well with boys. View the list.
Boys into books In 2007 the DCSF commissioned the School Library Association to produce a list of book recommendations (by Eileen Armstrong) for boys in key stage 3 (11-14), as part of their Riveting Reads series. For more information visit www.sla.org.uk/boys-into-books-overview.php
Boyz Own A starter reading list for boys who are reluctant or less able readers. Contact: Books for Students, 22-28 George Street, Hull, HU1 3AP Tel: 01482 384660 Fax: 01482 384677
Department for Children, Schools and Families. The DCSF have compiled a reading list that is particularly engaging for boys at Key Stage 2 level. Titles listed include The Stinky Cheese Man and other Fairly Stupid Tales and The Hobbit. Visit the Standards site : www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/genderandachievement.
www.guysread.com
Guys Read is a snazzy and up to date US based website that has information and recommendations on good reads for a range of abilities. These are seperated into little guys, middle guys and older guys sections.
Premier League Reading Stars (PLRS)
PLRS is a partnership
initiative run by the National Literacy Trust, the Premier League and the Football Foundation. Each Premier League Club nominates a Reading Champion, who in turn nominates their favourite book for children and their favourite book for adults - this becomes the reading list at the heart of the scheme. PLRS is a partnership between the National Literacy Trust, the Premier League, and the Football Foundation.
View the book choices here: www.literacytrust.org.uk/premierleaguereadingstars/index.html
Booktrust You can search for books which have a special interest for boys. Visit www.booktrust.org.uk..
Getting the Blokes on Board - NLT magazine for practitioners on involving fathers and men in reading with their children (NLT, 2007)
www.dad.info
This website is a one-stop information shop for dads and their families. It provides a library of facts and information plus content produced by leading writers. The website is a resource that services can use with dads.
Dads and Lads. The YMCA have produced a range of resources for supporting fathers and their children. Packs include Making Memories DVD/Video, Playing for Time, Dads and Lads Parenting pack. Visit www.ymca.org.uk/pooled/articles/BF_WEBART/view.asp?Q=BF_WEBART_116092.
www.dadstuff.co.uk Website with tips on fun activities for dads to do with their
children, based on the book Dad Stuff by Steve Caplin and
Simon Rose.
Engaging Fathers: involving parents, raising achievement (ref DfES/0314/2004) DCSF toolkit for practitioners on engaging fathers in children's education.
For more information or to download this resource visit www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/familyandcommunity/
The Fathers Day card is a free A4 card that can be printed, folded and given to parents ahead of Fathers Day. The card contains suggestions of reads for dads to enjoy with their kids and on their own. The card has been produced by football author Tom Palmer with the support of Jane Mathieson, Time to Read coordinator. Download the card (.pdf)
The Fatherhood Institute is a registered charity and a 'fatherhood think-tank'.
They produce a wide range of very useful resources, some of which are free to download, others have to be paid for. Click here for the publications list or visit the website for more information: www.fatherhoodinstitute.org.
The Family and Parenting Institute also produce a range of resources. Again, some are free to download and others have a cost attached. Click here to view all publications: www.familyandparenting.org/publications Of particular interest is the Fathers' Involvement in their Children's Education publication by Rebecca Goldman, £21, ISBN 1 903615 38 0.
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Girls' Voices: are they on the agenda? Report of
the Newham Girls' Voices project which aimed to give
girls an opportunity to inform policy and practice for educational
behavioural difficulties, particularly in the development
of whole school approaches to supporting the emotional needs
of young women. The project worked towards losing the labels
EBD and SEN, with their language of deficit, to move towards
a more inclusive system in which the needs of girls are met.
It considers national and local policy and practice, including
girls' perspectives on these, and concludes with recommendations
at LEA and school level. Cost £4.
Contact: The Girls' Project, Tunmarsh Centre, Tunmarsh Lane,
London E13 9NB.
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