I perused the internet reading about topics that interest me, foremost among them being men. My interests are purely professional of course. I then reflected on the state of their literacy; something which I am sure you have all questioned at some time or the other for even the more ‘educated’ ones. My mind then strayed on the almost intractable role of teachers in developing the literacy lives of our future men.
It is no secret that boys fall behind girls in early literacy skills and that the gap in attainment widens with age. In Trinidad and the wider society, this is reflected in a new social order inclusive of shifts in family life, higher education and the job market. It is tragic that we are loosing our men since they are increasingly marginalised, emasculated and distracted by anti-schooling masculinities (I learned these terms in ‘Caribbean Masculinities’- a course in UWI that teaches about the male psyche- I passed with flying colours!).
My proposal?
It’s simple, help the boys!
The U.K. Department of Education and Skills explains that “The challenge of raising achievement directly addresses the learning needs of students and the professional growth of teachers, and enhances the role of the school as an agent of social change”. I agree fully with this, in light of the controversial issue of the Ministry of Education’s same-sex pilot project in the secondary sector.
Maybe someone with more information could tell me if teachers in such schools are currently being trained and schools equipped with to handle the following?
1. Choosing appropriate classroom resources for boys
2. Providing frequent opportunities to read and write
3. Understanding boys’ learning styles
4. Using the arts to bring literacy to life
5. Appealing to boys’ need for social interaction
6. Influencing boys’ attitudes through the use of role models
7. Bringing critical-literacy skills into the classroom
8. Making reading and writing relevant to boys
9. Using technology to get boys interested in literacy
10. Using appropriate assessment tools for boys
11. The role of the teacher in boys’ literacy
12. Engaging parents in boys’ literacy
13. Building literacy beyond the classroom
Trust me, I did not make these up!
Read this- Me read, No way!: A practical guide to improving boys’ literacy skills.
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/brochure/meread/meread.pdf.
Follow the Millennium Reading Specialist for further discussions on “men”, sorry, “boys”!
I’ll be discussing #9: Using technology.
It is an ICT course after all!
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