6
Get competitive
Youmay ask childrenworking at similar current levels of reading achievement to
try to be thefirst to discover a particular piece of information or to reach a specific
event in a story. Working against the clock, with a collaborative partner, seems to get
some boysmotivated.
The rewardingof reading isacontentious issue; somesaymotivationshouldbe
intrinsic. However, for somechildren, wemust tryeverything tohook theminto reading,
andthe ideabehindprogrammes likeTheSummerReadingChallenge is that, by
increasing readingvolume/ frequency, we increase the likelihoodof childrendeveloping
thehabit...andthenno longer needing thebribe.We rewardmany learningbehaviours in
school; let’s rewardtheone that isprobably themost importantof all.
TEACH READING & WRITING
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5
Findapurpose
For thosewho don’t yet read for its
own sake, make it explicitly task-oriented,
especially across the curriculum. Focus on
the task ahead and some reluctant readers
may not even realise they are reading!
You could use guided and independent
reading tofind out about humanities or
science topic subjectmatter, with the
absolute requirement that the childrenmust
subsequently deliver short presentations,
perhaps in pairs. Ban reading in these
presentations, to stop children copying and
then reading this out verbatim.
4Usepeer pressure
Use theNational Literacy Trust’s Reading Champions approach to target ‘cool’
boys and take themfromreluctant to keen reading via an exclusive, high-
status club (nothing like traditional guided reading!); then unleash themand let
peer-pressurework positively for boys’ reading, for a change!
7Bewarea focus
onnon-fiction
While itmay be true that some boys really do only like
non-fiction, we haven’t encountered little boys finding
story time unbearable or spurning the opportunity to
listen to audio stories. Our theory is thatmany little
boys adore stories and being read to, but reading
fiction for themselves is a big commitment: start at the
front andwork all theway through, reading everything!
Information books generally allow themto open a
randompage, peruse asmuch as they fancy, and then
close it again –much less effort. With our very best
intentions, wemay be complicit in their development as
reluctant – or even slightly lazy – readers.
8
Tempt themin
Try the ‘filmtrailer’ approach: read brief extracts fromgreat books
out loud, and then say, “You canfind the book here!” Don’t read the
opening page; filmtrailers don’t show the openingminutes: choose
really exciting bits!
9
Beactive
When looking at text as awhole
class, try a second read-through
that requires a physical response,
e.g. childrenmight indicate they’ve
spotted particular grammatical
features – verbs or adverbs, for
instance –with particular hand
signals as they read aloud.
10
Lookand learn
Visually-appealing texts, such as picture
books and graphic novels, can helpwith
reluctance as they help readers both
‘get in to a story’ andmake progress
through it, while still wrapping themup
in a great narrative.
11
Godigital
Various forms of e-reading can appeal in the same
way; additionally, they can hide the fact that the child
is reading an easier text, sparing embarrassment,
and they alsofitmore neatly into perceivedmale
culture, giving some boys permission to read.
In association with
