Literacy+Underachievement+&+Gender+Issues+(Amanda+H)

=A Closer Look at Underachievement in Literacy with Specific Attention to Gender: Why do these achievement gaps exist? = Researchers have suggested the following hypotheses as evidence:

Several studies conducted in the United States and globally, suggest that female students have scored significantly higher in Literacy. The elements measured are traditionally fluency, comprehension, reading speed and vocabulary. Many variables could be contributors to the prevalence of male underachievement in Literacy. Research has shown that a student’s motivation and attitude toward reading and school can be a very

powerful predictor of student success. Other factors include biology, physiological maturation, gender and theoretical perspectives of teacher and student attitude toward reading and literacy.

Research Highlights
*Assessment- boys achievement scores are significantly lower than girls. *Teacher's Gender-female dominance in teaching may be an indicator of literacy http://www.gettingboystoread.com/content/motivating-teenage-boys-read reading being seen as feminine. http://www.gettingboystoread.com/content/motivating-teenage-boys-read
 * Motivation- a student's belief or negative attitude toward reading and literacy can be a predictor of below level achievement.
 * Biology/Physiological Maturation- high levels of fetal testosterone may slow left brain development.
 * Teacher's Theoretical Perspective of Gender- how a teacher perceives gender actions and behaviors within a classroom or society.

Important Resources:
Resource #1: Sarah Logan and Rhona Johnston, two professionals within the Psychology Department at the University of Hull in the United Kingdom. are the Authors of //Gender differences in reading ability and attitudes: examining where these differences lie//. The questions they chose to explore were “are there ability and attitude differences between boys and girls and if so where do the differences begin?” The focus areas for the research conducted were to explore the commonalities between reading ability, frequency of reading and attitudes and beliefs related toward reading and school.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Resource #2: February 2010 //Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy// addressed the problem of boy’s literacy underachievement. Underachievement in Boys literacy has received an abundance of attention through a range of media. Journalist, educational policymakers and a multitude of professionals in the education field have created what has been coined as “moral panic” surrounding boys’ literacy and engagement. Scenarios to rectify the current lull in boys’ literacy are reconstructing schools to a more masculine structure, higher more male teachers, develop single sex classrooms, and integrate masculine and feminine differences into curriculum as a means of cutting the potential for social and cultural repercussions.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Resource #3 Michelle Commeyras, in //Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy,// addressed the question: how interested are literacy educators in gender issues? Gender associated issues can be evaluated from both biological and sociological fields; it was crucial for the data to be interpreted and analyzed from many perspectives. Five perspectives were considered answering “the behavior of boys and girls is primarily determined by…”; the choices were as follows: an essentialist perspective, an evolutionary perspective, a sociobiological perspective, a social psychological perspective and a social constructionist perspective. Each of the perspectives brings different points of view to the beliefs of how behaviors, attitudes and education with regard to gender may be classified.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sources

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">*Teachers and Support Staff- being able to recognize the current reasons for underachievement. Teachers will be able to restructure their curriculum to build thoughtful literacy practices and provide more ways to positively create reading motivation in an effort to close the achievement gap.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Who Will Benefit From This Information?........... **
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Parents- will be able to provide more book choices and help their young boys build sequencing strategies which are slower because of high levels of testosterone.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Professional Resources for Teachers, Administrators and Pre-Service Educators:
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Visit these sites to further your knowledge about closing the gender literacy achievement gap <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|* Getting Boys To Read -] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This link shares great books and strategies to motivate boys to read. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Gender Diversity Institute-] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">-This link will share ideas and statistics based on gender. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Information About Gender: Where Are The Girls?] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This link take a close look at 35 years of girls' education. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|More information about gender differences-] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This link describes biological and physiological aspects specific to girls. A good to use to gain a better understanding of how boys and girls are educationally different. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Building Your Students Brains-] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This link will show evidences of how brains develop. Important to strengthen areas of left brain abilities for boys. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Reading Eggs-] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Excellent teacher and literacy specialist program used to build stronger literacy skills for both boys and girls. Can be used at school and at home.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Resources for parents:
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Visit these website at home to strengthen and build literacy skills at home <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Building Sequencing] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Build left brain skills at home; since boys may struggle with sequencing because of unusually high levels of testosterone the left brain is exposed to during infancy. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Reading Eggs-] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Excellent teacher and literacy specialist program used to build stronger literacy skills for both boys and girls. Can be used at school and at home. (Teacher/school can sign up for program or children at home may sign up for free trial basis) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Scholastic] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Parents can use this link to familiarize themselves with popular books their children may want to read to build motivation and provide a larger selection. Plus this link will provide answers to child development and parents may shop for books! <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Four Circles Learning-] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Will provide parents with research and information about ways to increase motivation for reading, tell the reasons for underachievement, tell what kinds of books boys like to read. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Real Men Read With Kids] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This link will provide information to prove how important male role models are to children especially to children.