Get dad reading
“The best role models seem to be dads, sports coaches and athletes, men the boys aspire to be. If they experience these men reading and sharing their love of books (any kind of books) then reading is not seen as a female occupation.
“Boys in general thrive on competition, action and bursts of intense activity, so the way they are expected to read needs to reflect this. Actors also make good role models – bringing one in to share his thoughts on a play or a screenplay would be cool too.
“Dads and lads sessions work where physical activity is balanced with shared experiences of books and reading can also work. They involve campfire cooking and opportunites to chill out, away from technology, with a good book.”
Cally Smart is an English and classics teacher. She blogs here.
Be creative
“A lot of the boys I teach are well below the reading level they should be for their age. I work at a primary behavioural emotional and social difficutlies (BESD) school in Hampshire.
“One way to get boys engaged is by being a bit creative. In September 2014 I invited a Pets As Therapy dog into the classroom to hear the eight boys in my class read on a weekly basis. The children really enjoy reading to Perdy the labrador, who offers a non-judgmental ear, and all the boys have gone up at least two sub-levels in their reading. During the week, the children discuss which books they think Perdy will enjoy hearing. There is a real buzz around reading now. The only drawback is a slightly hairy classroom at the end of the session.”
Anna Konig is a teacher at Wolverdene special school in Andover.