🚀 go-pugleaf

I think too much emphasis should not be placed on the supposed difference
between boys and girls.  I attended a State school, and, although boys and
girls were segregated in the classroom, and in the playground, this was the
only distinction made.  That boys should be "macho", whether deliberately or
implied, was not an issue - if the sexes have a natural tendency to be
different, then that's another matter.
However, on the topic of books, I liked short stories, eg. the SF tales of
HG Wells; or Sherlock Holmes (by Conan Doyle). At a younger age, the
adventures of Dr.Dolittle appealed.  Then, the William books, Tarzan, etc.
Full length novels nowadays, in an age of television and video games, is a
big ask.  When I was a child there was only radio - and kids' Saturday
matinee at local picture theatre. Books prevailed, and public libraries
flourished.
The modern view, that girls have superior reading skills compared with boys,
I regard as a pernicious offshoot of the fraudulent "whole word/language"
teaching system.  Perhaps it is that girls are more compliant; boys tend to
view the teaching method with contempt - and don't want to participate?  I
was taught by Phonics, and there was no problem.
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"nfb" <nfb@iaw.com> wrote in message
news:nfb-1677C0.14432922112003@news-central.ash.giganews.com...
> In article <3EACB118.3FF16896@ezee.com.au>, pwcca <pwcca@ezee.com.au>
> wrote:
>
> > Further to my earlier posting, and subsequent to my more in depth
> > academic readings, I continue to be interested in establishing a
> > discussion about boy's literacy. Considering some of the reading I have
> > done on multiple intelligences, learning modes/styles and hemispheric
> > dominance, the question remains to be asked by researchers whether boys
> > are biologically disinclined (generally) to pursue a formal reading
> > habit. Yes, they can read, and a lot can read well - but the case
> > remains that the majority of boys are not novel/book readers. To their
> > detriment (and it is an unfair supposition), this disinclination to read
> > books and novels is perceived as a dislike or disinterest in reading. I
> > propose boys feel reading must have a purpose, or it must engage them.
> > Hence, the reading of comic books is prolific, and a boy may not have a
> > difficulty reading science or maths text books, but does not see the
> > point of reading a Literature text that may bore him. Any discussion is
> > welcome.
> >
> > Ange.
>