I Grew Up Hating Reading--An Approach to Reluctant Readers

"I grew up hating to read," reports Max Elliot Anderson, author of books for boys. Reported here is the generalization the boys tend to be reluctant readers and Anderson crafts his books to reach this audience.

The point here is that boys (or anyone else for that matter) will be engaged as a reader if there is a reason to read. Traditional school approaches fail to account for engagement by teaching from texts that are at once boring and without relevance to the reader. If we are going to be effective teachers of reading then it is critical that the work we do is authentic in the sense that all assignments fit into a model represented by a three-legged stool; such a stool will not stand if any one of its legs is missing:

1. The assignment must have value to the student beyond the classroom.
2. The assignment must be challenging, be academically rigorous.
3. The assignment must have an audience beyond the teacher (although the teacher may be included in the audience).

When teachers plan authentically students will become engaged. But planning authentically means that one cannot force lessons down students' throats, rather students must be invited to participate in an experience that has value, is challenging, and is experienced for a real purpose. When lessons are planned with authenticity in mind students are engaged in school. When lessons are planned otherwise students are disengaged, resistant, and appear reluctant.

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Zoundry

"Reading Don't Fix No Chevys" : Literacy in the Lives of Young Men The problems of boys in schools, especially in reading and writing, have been the focus of statistical data, but rarely does research point out how literacy educators can combat those problems.

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