Boys will be

brilliant!

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

Aims

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

Programme

(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 knowwe’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 outAnd give it our support,Cheer and sneer then disappear before we get caught.

Nowhere Boys

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 knowWe 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 sitMakes 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 noiseIf 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  Levels

QQ* 1 2 3

 

Boys 

No. of pupils 

128 1300 7775 1596

% 

1.19 12.04 72.00 14.78

 

Girls 

No. of pupils 

52 737 7204 2331

% 

0.50 7.14 69.78 22.58

 

Total 

No. of pupils 

180 2037 14979 3927

% 

0.85 9.64 70.91 18.59

Key Stage 2 Statutory AssessmentNorthern Ireland Summary 2013Communication  Levels

QQ* 1 2 3 4 5

 Boys 

No. of pupils 

14 80 575 2380 6065 1387

% 

0.13 0.76 5.48 22.66 57.76 13.21

 Girls 

No. of pupils 

6 27 239 1537 6391 2016

% 

0.06 0.26 2.34 15.05 62.56 19.73

 Total 

No. of pupils 

20 107 814 3917 12456 3403

% 

0.10 0.52 3.93 18.91 60.12 16.43

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

Why boys?

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

1. Lack of independence2. Grunt Culture3. Too much too soon4. Settling down5. What is the point?6. To read or not to read

- Parents and home- Male role models- Text selection- Teaching approaches

7. Physical environment8. Peer pressure9. Teacher’s lack of awareness of the barriers to boys’ learning10. Summary

Barriers to Learning

I can fasten my own

shoe laces now.

(John)

I can tidy away my own toys.

(Ben)

 

I can use a knife, fork and spoon.

(Mary)

 

I can wash and dry my own face.

(Ben)

 

I put on my own

uniform all by myself.

(Mary)

 

Lack of Independence

“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.

Thinking Hats

White Red Black Facts Figures Information Not a matter for argument or suggestions

Emotions Feelings Hunches/

Intuition Allows people to put forward feelings without justification

Caution Truth Judgement Reality Will the plan work?

Yellow Green Blue Advantages Benefits Savings Looking for the positive elements – must be justified

Exploration Suggestions Proposals Encourages creative thinking

Thinking about thinking

What is the next step? Where are we now?

Author: Roald DahlPgs: Chapter 1

Book: George’s Marvellous Medicine

White What did you find out? (facts and information)

Red What did you like/enjoy? (story, texts, pictures etc.)

Black What didn’t you like?

Yellow Focus on 1 character. How would they have felt?

Green What could happen next?

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

It doesn’t matter if he can’t read books yet

It doesn’t matter if he can’t draw a recognizable picture yet.

It doesn’t matter if he can’t recognise letters of the alphabet yet.

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.

But it would help if he used materials to draw circles and lines.

But it would help if he can sound across a word

Taking the pressure offTaking the pressure off

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)

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

Peer massage techniques

“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.

Audience Purposea) Primary school girls a) To advertise treesb) Eco friendly adults b) To encourage people to walk in the woodsc) Teenage boys c) To raise money to protect

woodland

Britain’s ancient woodland

is disappearing

Will you give £2.75 a month to protect half an acre forever?

Woodland Trust

What do you enjoy about writing?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

What kind of support would improve your writing?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Which, if any, of the following do you find difficult? 

1. Coming up with ideas? ____________________________

2. Planning your writing? ____________________________

3. Coming up with a conclusion? ______________________

4. Have to express your opinion?______________________ 

(Remember, discuss the questionnaire first before expecting them to write answers!) 

Writing Questionnaire

ObservationsBoys 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)

Writing Questionnaire

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

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?

Physical Environment

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

(Savage 2007)

Analysis and Action plan Barrier to Boys’ Learning

Priority Ideas to remove barrier Action: Who/How/When?

1. Lack of independence 5 4 3 2 1    

2. Grunt Culture 5 4 3 2 1    

3. Too much too soon 5 4 3 2 1    

4. Settling down 5 4 3 2 1    

5. What is the point? 5 4 3 2 1    

6. To read or not to read 5 4 3 2 1    

7. Physical environment 5 4 3 2 1    

8. Peer Pressure 5 4 3 2 1    

9. Teachers’ lack of awareness of the barriers

5 4 3 2 1