Inspiring Boys to Read
How to transform your teenage son from a reluctant reader into an eager one.
Curtis Bryan, Cindy Sargeant and Roger Nevin

Have you come to dread and worry about the teacher’s comments on your teenage son’s report cards? For example: “Bob is working very hard this semester but his reading comprehension continues to be a problem…” “Tom is keeping up with the regular lessons, but is falling behind in the independent reading component…” “Bill would be more successful in this class if he had a more positive attitude towards reading…”

You are not alone. National and international studies show that boys do not keep up with girls when it comes to reading. And according to Statistics Canada, the gap between boys and girls in this area “is persistently large.” In general, teenage boys don’t value reading and see themselves as non-readers. A survey at our high school – Adam Scott C.V.I. in Peterborough – confirms these results. It found that 80% of reluctant male readers think reading is something they do “just for school.” Moreover, 60% saw reading as “boring.”

The research is clear about the importance of reading. In her book, Children’s Minds, Margaret Donaldson demonstrates how reading leads directly to the development of intellectual control and abstract thinking. This means that a lack of reading skills will not only affect a student’s ability in English but will also have a profound impact on other subjects. Reading creates diversity; it goes beyond the simple text and expands the mind. It is the pillar of life-long learning.

Capturing boys’ interest

As parents we often blame ourselves when our sons are reluctant to read. What went wrong? We remember cozy evenings curled up on the couch reading Robert Munsch stories or Curious George. We recall Saturday mornings looking for new books at the public library. We think of all those purchases at the local bookstores and begin to wonder if it has all been for naught. Did we let them watch too much TV or cartoons as they grew up? Should we have limited their computer access or video time? Were we poor role models?

Even with good reading practices early in life, boys can turn into reluctant readers in their teens. Rather than worry about whether we have somehow failed as parents, we need to focus on what we can do to encourage our sons to read.

Here are some ways we can re-capture the interest our sons once had in reading:

• To begin with, we need to let go of our own ideas about what boys should be reading and pay attention to what they want to read. As author James Moloney reminds us, “when we claim that boys don’t read, what we really mean is that boys don’t read what we want them to read.” Today’s male readers are not interested in traditional novels. They enjoy comic books, magazines and informational texts about fixing or building things. If they do read, they prefer non-fiction, biographies, or practical reading applications. If fiction does capture their interest, it often revolves around fantasy, science fiction or adventure.

• Inspire your child with the diversity and variety of books available. Sow the seeds of opportunity and these reluctant readers will read. At the Adam Scott library, we have stocked an entire bookshelf with manga, which are illustrated Japanese comics, in order to increase reading among teenage boys. This experiment in “selling reading” has been extremely successful. In the space of under two months, the manga have become the highest circulating genre in the library. At any given point, up to two thirds of these books are out and being read. Boys are reading them with a voracious intensity. (If you aren’t yet familiar with the manga series of books, see the box below.)

Boys often like short blurbs of factual information in books like Guinness World Records or Top Ten of Everything. These books are also popular because they contain interesting pictures and graphics that quickly grab the reader’s attention.
Most boys like magazines that relate to their hobbies, such as Transworld Skateboarding, PC Gaming or Mountain Bike. Boys also like humour. The most popular magazine among boys in the Adam Scott C.V.I. library is Mad Magazine. Comic books are also popular with most boys.

High interest, easy reading young adult novels, such as the Orca series or the new Series Canada, may attract reluctant readers. Authors Paul Kropp, William Bell, Eric Walters are some of the most popular authors in this genre.

• Ask your son about what he is reading. Boys will take more of an interest in reading if they are allowed to talk about it. Sitting down and listening to what your son is reading shows that you care. Male readers are often reluctant readers when they think no one cares about their concerns or interests.

• Let boys choose easy books. That advice comes from Michael Sullivan, the author of Connecting Boys With Books. Often reluctant readers need positive reassurance. None of us started out reading 800-page copies of Charles Dickens.

If your son is in grade 5, but still wants to read the Droon series of books or Pokemon stories, don’t be concerned. Books like these capture the interest of boys because they are easy to read and the story line and characters are familiar. Boys love reading an entire series of books and consider it a major accomplishment.

Teenage boys also find books based on movies, such as Star Wars, or adapted from the movie’s original plot, to be compelling reading. That’s because the movie is not simply retold, but turned on its head into new and innovative plot lines.

• Take your son with you to the local bookstore. Find out what he likes and pay attention to what captures his interests. Share the joy of reading by experiencing it through his eyes. Show appreciation for his choices. Your enthusiasm will boost his confidence and foster more reading.

• Make sure your son sees his parents, especially his father, reading. This doesn’t mean that Dad suddenly has to read the latest Oprah novel in the living room. Simply reading the paper and verbally sharing interesting facts or information with your son is enough. Your 13-year-old son may still go straight for the comic section on Saturday mornings, but that’s okay. Encourage him to share the funniest ones with the rest of the family.

Get Involved

Getting boys to read should not be an insurmountable task. It just means that parents (and teachers) need to make some minor changes in behaviour, attitude and expectations. If we can be involved in our children’s sporting activities, then we can be involved in their personal needs and interests.

So the next time you see your teenage son with his nose in a Japanese illustrated novel or comic, be supportive. Encourage, foster and share in your child’s interests. The days of curling up on the couch reading with your son don’t need to be a distant memory.

Curtis Bryan, Cindy Sargeant and Roger Nevin are teachers at Adam Scott C.V.I. and Intermediate School in Peterborough. Their website is www.boysread.com.

Resources

Me Read? No Way – A practical guide to improving boys’ literacy skills, published by the Ontario Ministry of Education. Available free.

Connecting Boys With Books, by Michael Sullivan, Chicago: ALA Editions.

Tips For Encouraging Your Boy To Read, by Michael Sullivan.

Ideas For Getting Boys To Read, by James Moloney.

www.boysread.com – Ideas, strategies and best practices for getting teenage boys to read.

Pathfinder - Reading and the Gender Gap – An extensive list of books, journal articles and websites dealing with the subject of reading and the gender gap.