1 m i n d t h e g a p teaching for reading and writing success to the male brain by kenneth odle
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M I N D T H E G A P
Teaching for Reading and Writing
Success to the Male BrainBy Kenneth Odle
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Background
Middle school is when we start to lose students, especially boys, as readers.
There is often a presumption that reading is a more “female” activity — boys aren’t supposed to like reading.
There are biological reasons why girls, especially at a young age, can be better readers than boys.
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Biological Differences - Intro
More pronounced at younger ages. Still affect middle school students
(and high school students, as well). Some effects carry over into high
school, depending on the student. Should be taken into account
at all ages.
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Biological Differences 1
Frontal Lobe Less developed in boys.
(In elementary schools, the difference may be one to two years.)
Makes boys more impulsive. Boys less able to sit still and read.
(Boys tend to fidget.) May cause students to be misdiagnosed as
learning disabled.
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Biological Differences 2
P Cells and M Cells (optical and neural) Males rely more on type M ganglion cells,
which detect movement. Females rely more on type P ganglion
cells, which are sensitive to color. Boys tend to rely on pictures and moving
objects. Girls excel in describing color and other
fine sensory information.
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Biological Differences 3
Verbal/Spatial Differences Boys’ brains have more regions dedicated to
spatial-mechanical functioning. Girls’ brains emphasize verbal-emotive
processing. On average, girls use more words than boys. Girls tend to think more verbally. Boys tend to think visually — they see pictures
or movies in their minds. (American Born Chinese is full of examples.)
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Biological Differences 4
Cross Talk Between Hemispheres Girls’ brains have more communication
between hemispheres — better multitasking.
Boys’ brains tend to compartmentalize thinking in one or the other hemisphere — prefer logical A-Z focus.
Boys can become more irritable when moved quickly between activities. This can carry over into later grades.
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Biological Differences 5
Neural Rest States Boys’ brains “spin down” more readily
between activities. Boys fidget to keep
their minds active. May be mistaken
as ADD or ADHD.
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Biological Differences 6
Natural Aggression and Hormones Boys are more competitive. “Aggression Nurturance” — the playful
hitting and “dissing” that boys engage in can be supportive.
Less reliance on “bonding malleability” (less desire to comply in order to please others).
Related to lower oxytocin levels in the body. (Oxytocin is the “bonding hormone.”)
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Techniques 1
Spatial-Visual Representations Storyboarding Cartoons Graphic Organizers Use of sticky notes or index cards to
organize thinking about a text.
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Techniques 2
Book Choice Boys often regard in-class reading and writing
as irrelevant. Boys prefer books with action (sports/war). Boys prefer books with pictures (history/how-
to). Many boys are drawn toward different types
of books than girls. (N.b.: But not always!) Alternate between canonical texts and
personal choice books. Use multicultural texts.
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Techniques 3
Books Boys Like: Comics or Manga (Graphic Novels) Fantasy and Science Fiction Series Books (alas! – see Nancie Atwell’s In
the Middle) “Choose Your Own Adventure” Books Nonfiction (history, natural science,
archeology) How-To (car repair/maintenance) Books with maps (think Lord of the Rings)
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Techniques 4
Single-Gender Learning Environments Has been used with girls in math and
science classes (girls now outperform boys in these areas).
Alternate reading/discussion groups between all-boy/all-girl and mixed gender.
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Techniques 5
Make Reading and Writing More Concrete
Suggest a specific person as the audience for reading and writing (remember “bonding malleability”).
Provide opportunities for sharing their writing (magazine, book talk,workshop, readers’ circle, writers’circle, presentation, web site, etc.).
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Techniques 6
Incorporate More Technology Create an interactive website about a book. Power Point, Prezi, or other electronic
presentations. Electronic editions of texts, such as Plucker
or Kindle, (but be aware of money issues). A play + a camera = a movie (yea!)
(aka “Digital Storytelling”).
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Techniques 7
Seek Out Male Role Models More male teachers in the earlier
grades. Ask dads (not just moms) to
volunteer in the classroom. Seek out more male guest-speakers. Encourage dads to read to their kids.
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Political Implications 1
There is a higher percentage of female than male teachers in elementary and middle schools. Recruitment and public acceptance is an issue.
Schools are under-funded and there is often little money for recently published titles. (Teachers may have to dig into their own pockets to provide a rich reading environment.)
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Political Implications 2
There is a reluctance, at many levels, to move outside the established canon.
Standardized testing can be an issue. The established canon is not
usually considered “risky” (i.e., not as subject to censorship issues or parent complaints).
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Problems
Teachers tend to teach the way they were taught — regardless of training.
Teachers tend to teach toward those students who learn the way they do — and most teachers in lower grades are women.
Teachers cover books they like — regardless of any relevance to their students.
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Impact on Classroom Instruction
Techniques aimed at boys can also improve results for girls.
Boys are more likely to view reading and writing as something that enhances their lives.
Encourages teachers to become research-based teachers. We can conduct research in our own classrooms.
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The Ultimate Goal:
We don’t want to pit boys against girls.
What we want is to create in our classrooms an environment in which both boys and girls can succeed, recognizing that “boy[s]…have unique strengths, quirks, and weaknesses that every thoughtful practitioner or parent will want to be aware of” (Fletcher 7).
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Value for Educators
Fewer behavior problems. Increased on-task time. A more equitable classroom — all
students can contribute and their views are valued.
Students appreciate literacy as something beyond just “reading books.”
Most importantly, students achieve more.
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Resources 1
“Guys Read” website By Jon Scieszka (author of The Stinky
Cheese Man and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs)
Suggests books important to boys. Interactive. www.guysread.org
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Resources 2
Gurian Institute Trains teachers and parents in
gender science. Promotes practical applications. Offers books, DVD’s, training. For-profit site. www.gurianinstitute.com
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Resources 3
Read-Write-Think A collaboration between the International
Reading Association and the NCTE. Many lesson plans, searchable by grade
level. Keyed to NCTE strands. Lots of lesson plans incorporate
technology. Completely free. www.readwritethink.org
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Resources 4
Watch D.O.G.S. Encourages men (fathers, grandfathers,
uncles, step-fathers, father figures, etc.) to volunteer and mentor in schools.
Primarily active in urban schools. Offers training and support. Volunteers serve at least one day each year. A program of the National Center for
Fathering. A member of the PTA Coalition. www.fathers.com/watchdogs
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Resources 5
Donors Choose Teachers can post projects that need
funding. Donors can choose which projects to
support. Donors can fund with as little as $1.00. Teacher and student feedback is expected. www.donorschoose.org
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Resources 6
Students What kind of books do you like? What kind of books turn you off? Which books do you wish teachers
would talk about? Use surveys, reading journals, focus
groups.
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Resources 7
Parents What are your kids currently
reading? What kind of books did your kids like
or not like reading in earlier grades? Do you discuss
books/reading/literature with your children?
Value their input.
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Resources 8
Colleagues Which books are you teaching now? How do your students like these books? What strategies do you use, and how
successful are they? What is going well for you this year? What are you going to do differently next
year? Ask the school librarian.
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Works Cited• Doiron, Ray. “Boy Books, Girl Books: Should We Re-organize
Our School Library Collection?” Teacher Librarian 30.3 (2003): 14-16.
• Fletcher, Ralph. Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices. Portland: Stenhouse; Markham: Pembroke, 2006.
• King, Kelley, and Michael Gurian. “Teaching to the Minds of Boys.” Educational Leadership 64.1 (2006): 56-61.
• Sullivan, Michael. Connecting Boys with Books 2: Closing the Reading Gap. Chicago: American Library Association, 2009.
• Von Drasek, Lisa. “Boy, Oh, Boy — Books!” Teaching PreK-8 33.2 (2002): 72-75.
• Wilde, Jack. “Learning From Fantasy.” Voices From the Middle 5.2 (1998): 40-42.
