Boys will be brilliant!

Boys willbe brilliant!

Aims Teachers: • will know how to breakdown some of the barriers to boys’ achievement • will know how to use the suggested resources and activities to help improve boys’ learning • will be able to plan an effective whole school improvement strategy to ensure success

Programme 9:30 Introduction 9:45 Barriers to boys’ learning 10:45 Coffee/Tea 11:00 Barriers (Contd) 11:30 Word Work (Developing vocabulary) 12:30 Lunch 1:15 Boys and books – Library Services 2:00 Boys and their toys! 3:00 Audit/Action Planning for future actions

Nowhere Boys (Read at pace, in the style of a punk poet) Rampaging round the corridors, Making loadsa noise, If anybody asks us we’re the going nowhere boys. “What you up to, where you going?” that’s what they want to know we’re going nowhere fast, we don’t do nothing slow. Rampaging round the corridors, Making loadsa noise, If anybody asks us we’re the going nowhere boys. If there’s a fight we’ll sniff it out And give it our support, Cheer and sneer then disappear before we get caught.

Rampaging round the corridors, Making loadsa noise, If anybody asks us we’re the going nowhere boys. “What you up to, where you been?” S’what they all want to know We don’t stop to answer them, always on the go. Rampaging round the corridors, Making loadsa noise, If anybody asks us we’re the going nowhere boys. When we get in classrooms, Sometimes it’s nice to sit Makes a change from charging round, resting for a bit. Me, I’m thinking about break, Feed my face, have a laugh, I just can’t be doing with this geography and maths. (slow the pace right down)

Rampaging round my brain cells, It’s just a load of noise If anybody asks us we’re the going nowhere boys. Teacher just said something, Don’t know what he said, My mate put his hand up! Right, after this he’s dead. Rampaging round the corridors, Making loadsa noise, If anybody asks us we’re the going nowhere boys. Gary Wilson

Do we regularly show boys how much we love teaching them? Do we regularly show boys how much we value their contribution?

What do you like about teaching boys/girls?

Key Stage 1 Statutory AssessmentNorthern Ireland Summary 2013Communication

Key Stage 2 Statutory AssessmentNorthern Ireland Summary 2013Communication

Why boys? Research also tells us that, compared to girls, boys: • Tend to lack confidence and self-belief • Are more prone to peer-pressure • Need more encouragement and positive reinforcement • Sometimes suffer from low aspirations • Sometimes have a shorter attention span • Develop fine motor skills at a slower pace – and therefore fall behind quite quickly with writing in the early years

With respect to achievement: • Boys take longer to learn to read than girls do • Boys read less than girls • Girls tend to comprehend narrative texts and most expository texts significantly better than boys do • Boys tend to be better at information retrieval and work-related literacy tasks than girls.

With respect to attitude: • Boys generally provide lower estimation of their reading abilities than girls do • Boys value reading as an activity less than girls do • Boys have much less interest in leisure reading than girls do, and are far more likely to read for utilitarian purposes than girls are • Significantly more boys than girls declare themselves to be non-readers • Boys . . . . express less enthusiasm for reading than girls do.

Theories old and new • Low achievement may start at home • Boys come into school trailing girls (communication and fine motor skills) but catch up • Causal links between poverty and low educational achievement • Early intervention can make a difference • Boys are ‘hard-wired’ differently from girls • Behaviour is innate • Boys develop at a slower rate than girls • Boys go to school too early • Parents are a critical part of making changes in the classroom • Boys have a particular inborn learning style • Boys use language competitively • Boys are more sensitive to stress in their early years

Barriers to Learning 1. Lack of independence 2. Grunt Culture 3. Too much too soon 4. Settling down 5. What is the point? 6. To read or not to read - Parents and home - Male role models - Text selection - Teaching approaches 7. Physical environment 8. Peer pressure 9. Teacher’s lack of awareness of the barriers to boys’ learning 10. Summary

Lack of Independence I can fasten my own shoe laces now. (John) I can tidy away my own toys. (Ben) I put on my own uniform all by myself. (Mary) I can wash and dry my own face. (Ben) I can use a knife, fork and spoon. (Mary)

Thinking Hats “When it comes to building the human brain, nature supplies the construction materials and nurture serves as the architect that puts them together.” Let us nurture our children to “think” it’s never too late to start now.

Taking the pressure off Taking the pressure off It doesn’t matter if he can’t hold a pencil yet But it would help if he developed fine motor skills It doesn’t matter if he can’t write his name yet But it would help if he recognized his name But it would help of he were read to. If he was excited by stories, he could retell stories and join in with chants from familiar stories. It doesn’t matter if he can’t read books yet It doesn’t matter if he can’t draw a recognizable picture yet. But it would help if he used materials to draw circles and lines. But it would help if he can sound across a word It doesn’t matter if he can’t recognise letters of the alphabet yet.

Boys respond best when: • Work is assigned in bite-sized, digestible pieces and is time-limited • Lessons are broken down into a variety of activities that include more “active” learning opportunities, such as drama, investigation, research, or the use of information technology • The work seems relevant to them – that is, when it has a purpose they can understand • Lessons are delivered in a brisk, well-paced format, with an obvious direction, so that they can tell that progress is occurring • The work includes an element of competition and/or involves short-term goals • Time is allowed for review and reflection following the lesson or assignment • An analysis of the “concrete” aspects of an emotional response to it • They receive regular, positive feedback • (Wilson 2003 Pg 12)

Peer massage techniques • eye glasses • cat grip • baker • ice cream • forehead stroke • hairdresser • sliding board

“School for many boys represents a system of hostile authority and a series of meaningless work demands” (Younger Warrington 2003) “Boys are the best barometers of good teaching” (Wendy Bradford 2000) Over 60% of writing undertaken in schools involves copying from books or from the board. (NUT Study)

Hands up if you think teachers do too much writing in school? Hands up if you do this because you need ‘evidence’ in books? Hands up if you think that writing less and concentrating on quality would be far better for all children? All the research shows that boys REALLY need to talk through their ideas before they put pen to paper. If we allow more time for talking and less time for writing, we will improve boys’ writing!

‘Right boys – time to write.’ Sir, do we have to . . . . . again? Can’t we just talk about it instead? Sir, can I borrow a pen? Can I have some paper sir? I left my book at home last night. How do you start? How much do you have to write? What if you don’t finish? Do you write on both sides of the sheet? Does it have to be neat? Do you have to copy out the question?

Can’t we just have a rest? My arm hurts sir, I’ve got cramp. Do I have to copy it out in best? Can I go and work in the library? Can I do it on the computer instead? Sir, do I have to read it through? I know what it is I said. You’re not going to read it out are you? I don’t want it displayed. What’s it for? Does it count? Is it part of our final grade? Gary Wilson

In order to engage boys effectively with their writing you need to: - Ask them about writing such as what they enjoy about writing - Give them a purpose and audience for their writing What is this writing for? e.g. using a picture give the children a choice of 3 statements for purpose and audience. AudiencePurpose a) Primary school girls a) To advertise trees b) Eco friendly adults b) To encourage people to walk in the woods c) Teenage boys c) To raise money to protect woodland

Writing Questionnaire

Writing Questionnaire Observations Boys take longer to learn to read than girls do. Boys read less than girls do. Boys have much less interest in leisure reading and are far more likely to read for utilitarian purposes than girls are. Significantly more boys than girls declare themselves “non-readers.” Boys spend less time reading and express less enthusiasm for reading than girls do. Boys increasingly consider themselves to be “non-readers” as they get older; very few designate themselves as such early in their schooling, but nearly 50 percent make that designation by high school. Boys and girls express interest in reading different things, and they do read different things. Boys are less likely to talk about or overtly respond to their reading than girls are. Boys prefer active responses to reading in which they physically act out responses, do or make something. (Smith and Wilhelm 2002, pp. 1-12)

Boys’ underachievement in reading is associated with the relationship of three factors: • The home and family environment, where girls are more likely to be bought books and be taken to the library, and where mothers/women are more likely to support and role model reading • The school environment, where teachers may have a limited knowledge of contemporary and attractive texts for boys and where boys may not be given the opportunity to develop their identity as a reader through experiencing reading for enjoyment • Male gender identities which do not value learning and reading as a mark of success

“There seems to be some power about books hanging around children and children hanging around books.” (Michael Rosen)

Dads and Lads Guys Read Books ‘n’ Boys ?

“Understandably, because they are not specialist, too few teachers in primary schools have not a detailed knowledge of literature, with classic or contemporary children’s literature.” (Professor Teresa Cremin)

The role of libraries in creating a male reading culture

Teachers enhance pupils’ sense of confidence and self-worth when they are able to convince pupils that they care about them as individuals and want them to learn. If we do not look forward to our lessons and do not get excited about teaching and learning then how can we expect boys to do so?

Research shows that boys are more successful in school when their teachers: • Have a good knowledge of the texts • Provide texts that interest boys • Offer a flexible approach to teaching, but use explicit teaching methods for literacy strategies • Involve pupils in extensive collaborative work • Continuously motivate and support pupils • Understand when to “break the rules” • Provide effective oral and written feedback on progress • Develop a classroom culture that encourages pupils to justify their opinions • Accept the humorous responses and language play often evident in boys’ writing (National Literacy Trust, UK 2001)

Praise postcard/label Gary was great at helping a young boy out in the playground today

Physical Environment Have you ever thought about the seating arrangements in your classroom? Is there a seating policy in your school? Does the seating arrangement have a positive impact on learning? What range of valuable outcomes accrue as a result of flexible seating for different purposes? Does the seating enhance: • Reflective thinking • Language development • Group work • Positive relationships and feelings • Peer assessment? How can the seating arrangement reduce the effect of peer pressure? Have you thought how a boy feels sitting beside a high-flying girl? Girl of same ability? Girl of slightly lower ability? In any case, flexibility is the key – mixed gender, random, ability, small/large groups etc. Is the classroom environment appealing to boys?

“Feelings of ownership and personal identify are enhanced by allowing pupils to participate in decision making about the use of the space” (Savage 2007)

Boys will be brilliant!