Nick Hornby: To get boys to read, tell them books are ‘inappropriate’
Someone must've told this kid that the book he's holding is rated R
About a Boy author Nick Hornby says, if you want boys to show an interest in literature reverse psychology might work best.
The British author will be a member of a panel discussing how to give children the inspiration to read by the Ministry of Stories. Though the United Kingdom’s Institute of Education suggests children are getting more creative, there does remain a gender gap in literacy between boys and girls worldwide. Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Hornby remembered his days as a schoolteacher, noting that it’s difficult to strike a balance between “focused conversation and an atmosphere which prevents creativity and thought.”
Speaking about how some might conquer the problem when it comes to striking an interest in the literacy for boys, Hornby mentioned his own experiences with his sons. “I have boys, and boys are particularly resistant to reading books. I had some success recently with Sherman Alexie’s great young adult novel ‘The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part-Time Indian’ – I told my son it was highly inappropriate for him, and one of the most banned books in America. That got his attention, and he raced through it.”
Canada is also no stranger when it comes to a literacy gender gap. In 2013 a study conducted by economists Michael Baker and Kevin Milligan concluded that parents of millennials in Canada spend more time on early literacy activities with preschool daughters over sons. Another study conducted by the Council of ministers of Education Canada suggests differences in socialization might be to blame in the gender gap meaning reading is seen as “feminine”. Hornby might have a point: according to a guide created by the Ontario Ministry of Education to improve literacy in boys, studies show boys prefer stories that are “edgy or controversial”.
From: National Post
Speaking about how some might conquer the problem when it comes to striking an interest in the literacy for boys, Hornby mentioned his own experiences with his sons. “I have boys, and boys are particularly resistant to reading books. I had some success recently with Sherman Alexie’s great young adult novel ‘The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part-Time Indian’ – I told my son it was highly inappropriate for him, and one of the most banned books in America. That got his attention, and he raced through it.”
Canada is also no stranger when it comes to a literacy gender gap. In 2013 a study conducted by economists Michael Baker and Kevin Milligan concluded that parents of millennials in Canada spend more time on early literacy activities with preschool daughters over sons. Another study conducted by the Council of ministers of Education Canada suggests differences in socialization might be to blame in the gender gap meaning reading is seen as “feminine”. Hornby might have a point: according to a guide created by the Ontario Ministry of Education to improve literacy in boys, studies show boys prefer stories that are “edgy or controversial”.
From: National Post
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