Read the linked article on Boys and reading and post your comment on this blog. Your comments and reactions should be a minimum of 2 paragraphs. After everyone has posted, go back and respond to two of your classmates' comments.
http://www.edutopia.org/discussion/boys-and-reading
I happen to have a thirteen year old brother and i can agree to this idea/post that some/most boys don't enjoy reading. My little brother rather play video games then read a book any day. Even myself don't enjoy reading for the same reasons that are in this article. I don't find reading books that enjoyable I find most of them boring to read. They are also very time consuming for me due to the fact i'm not a fast reader. I think if young boys or anyone in general found a good book or topic they like to read about that reading wouldn't seem like a burden on them.
ReplyDeleteYeah i agree reading is horrible especially when you are assigned a book that doesn't interests you. I feel like that teachers should either do two things: 1. Start picking better books or 2. Just let the students keep picking books that interests them so they are encouraged to read more.
DeleteI thought this article was pretty interesting. I'm a girl who loves to read and I never really thought of what people could be missing out on if they don't read much or at all. Books are meaningful and can teach the reader a lot in a way that they can connect to. I know I've learned a lot from books and reading, books have examples of real life problems and can teach important lessons on life. I can only imagine how different I'd be as a person if I barely read. I think reading is important for everyone to partake in and we need to find a way to get boys to read more so they dont miss out on important education and experiences gained from books. Installing appreciation and enjoyment of books in boys is important and I think schools should try harder to make reading more appealing to its male population,
ReplyDeleteI agree. I didn't even realize how many life lessons I've learned through reading books. I would be a totally different person if I didn't read at all.
DeleteI think this article is meaningless and sexist. Just because the world has come out with new advanced technology, does not mean there are no readers left. It is sexist to say it is only boys because girls are just as bad. Girls spend heir days on the computer, watching TV, and playing games just like boys do. It is also dumb to say that by not reading, boys are losing their opportunities to be smarter because in modern day, reading is not the only way to gain knowledge. TV shows and videogames teach kids the ways of the real world and how it works just as well as a book can. It may even be better because you get a visual aspect also. Overall, I think the author of this article really did not think before writing.
ReplyDeleteThis article was very frustrating to read because I strongly disagree with the notion that boys do not read. Many of my friends and I read books. I do agree that many boys do not enjoy reading though because many young kids are busy. I have read many books that have caused me to think deeper. I agree that more boys should be exposed to this, but it is not only boys that need more exposure.
ReplyDeleteGirls have just as many distractions as boys and dislike it just as much. This article stereotypes boys as all being careless and not thoughtful and I disagree. I do agree that more boys should be exposed to books that cause them to think deeper, but this also goes for girls. Overall, this article was one sided. I do agree that kids should read more and be exposed to various content but it goes for both sexes.
After reading this article, I believe that it depends on the type of boy it is. All boys are different and have different interests and hobbies. Some may be athletes and don't care about books when some may be book worms and love them. It really depends on who it is because everyone is different in their own way and may find other things enjoyable other than reading.
ReplyDeleteI also believe that this article is kind of stereotypical. Not all boys hate reading, some may really like it. Every boy does different things in their free time and have a lot of different interests. Some could also keep it as a hidden hobby because it is a "girly thing". Overall, i think it really depends on who the person and what they find exciting and enjoyable.
I agree with you because some boys really love to read while some cannot stand it. Just because some boys do not enjoy it at all does not mean that all do and the article kind of blames boys in general for liking to read.
DeleteAfter reading this article, I believe that it depends on the type of boy it is. All boys are different and have different interests and hobbies. Some may be athletes and don't care about books when some may be book worms and love them. It really depends on who it is because everyone is different in their own way and may find other things enjoyable other than reading.
ReplyDeleteI also believe that this article is kind of stereotypical. Not all boys hate reading, some may really like it. Every boy does different things in their free time and have a lot of different interests. Some could also keep it as a hidden hobby because it is a "girly thing". Overall, i think it really depends on who the person and what they find exciting and enjoyable.
To begin, I believe using a fourteen year old study to analyze the reading levels of boys is absolutely buffoonish. In any other situation, the use of such an old study for data would be mocked, as it should be. Personally, I do believe boys read less than girls in current times, yet the number of young people reading as a whole has drastically decreased. From my own personal observation, girls, as well as boys are more interested in social media such as Pintrest, rather than books. Society's young people as a whole are seeming being damaged morally by this, losing the ability to ponder their actions.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I believe there are multiple solutions to this issue that are rather simple. Foremost, young people have a love of their devices, and publishers should be making books available in electronic formats such as Amazon.com's Kindle, where one can download an application to their phone and obtain books. Secondly, the publishers must put their books into the public with advertisements. One will never see an advertisement for a book but will see vast amounts of advertising for things, such as games that catch the eye of the American youth. Lastly, the books need to be taught in schools as a whole class, instead of being given as a homework assignment. The reasoning behind this is instead of feeling like a punishment, it feels like classwork and an enjoyable class activity, catching interest in a superior manner.
I think this article is silly. Plenty of people don't like reading. With the world we live in today to ask a young boy to sit down and read a book when they could be living in a fast paced world isn't going to go over well. There are plenty of boys who do like to read. I also think that comic books can be really good for young boys to read. They are quick to read, have good stories, teach good values and important lessons and should be integrated into more kids lives.
ReplyDeleteI think that there are a lot of boys who don't like to read but there are plenty who do. I personally don't like to read but my younger brother does. He would rather play video games than read but he still enjoys reading. I would almost rather do anything than read but that's because reading slows my day down I cant walk or do work while I read. For me to sit down and read for more than an hour would almost be near to impossible because I am so inpatient. But when I find a book that i really enjoy and is about something that interests me I can sit for an hour a day and just read my book. I will want to just google what happens and a lot of times I do because I just cant wait but if the book is good enough I will wait to read it myself.
I agree with you about there still being people who like to read. While there are a lot of people who would much rather be on their phone or some other piece of technology over reading, there are still plenty of people who would rather read.
DeleteI also think that if school's held a standard English class like Reader's Choice, where obviously students are allowed to choose their own books, articles like this would never exist.
DeleteI do not agree with this blog post. I think it is very stereotypical to say that boys have trouble sitting to read and don't enjoy it because there are non-readers and readers in both genders. I also think its ridiculous to say that in this day in age boys are distracted by sports and video games, which decreases reading, because girls can equally be distracted by these things and other distractions as well.
ReplyDeleteThe amount of enjoyment that comes from reading does not depend on gender but rather on the reader themselves. I also don't think that its accurate to say that boys who do not read are losing skills and valuable knowledge because in today's society reading is not necessary to gain knowledge. I also don't think that saying boys have trouble finding books to relate to is accurate, because there is such a wide variety of books that anyone who really tried could find something that they understood and related to. It is not an issue with relatability or distractions but rather the fact that some people enjoy reading and some don't. Overall I do not agree with this post because it is not accurate to specifically target boys for not reading because both genders have non-readers and readers.
I totally agree with you! This article upsets me how it targets that gender matters from reading or not. I feel people these days should realize how everyone likes and do things differently. Gender shouldn't be a factor if one likes to read or not.
DeleteI agree as well but I will say that even though there are wide varieties of book genres available, he majority of them aren't presented in a classroom. Unlike most of us, there are students who only have a school library or sole English teacher to introduce them to the world of literature, and most children will only stick with the knowledge their given and not want to venture on.
DeleteI personally do not agree with this article because I believe reading is not based on gender because everyone has their own way. I find it hard to understand why gender would matter. Some people read books for their interests and their ways. These days, there are ways to read a book. Such as some people likes to read sitting down in a peaceful place while others enjoy reading a book with a background of their favorite music. It shows how people are different and they do their own ways.
ReplyDeleteFor an example, my old friend loves to play video games. He plays it more than 5 times a day. For him personally, he liked reading the books about the games he played. This is why I feel gender doesn't matter based on someone's way of doing something. It's their individuality that counts the most because we are all so different!
I agree with you completely. Whether or not a person likes to read has nothing to do with if they are a boy or a girl, it has to do with their personality.
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DeleteI totally agree! The enjoyment that comes from reading is not based on gender at all, it completely depends on the person and their individual personality. Its also easy to find books that relate to peoples interests, just like your friend who reads books about his videogames.
DeleteI like the example you gave! Its so true, everyones different and people should read what their interested in and what makes them happy.
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ReplyDeleteI both agree and disagree with this article. I agree because I do believe that there are some boys that do not find reading to be an enjoyable activity. However, I disagree because there are some boys that love to read and read all the time. Therefore, I think it is stereotypical to say that ALL boys hate reading because all boys are different and some will find reading more fun than others, as it depends on their personality.
ReplyDeleteI do, however, believe that there are some boys that detest reading because many books do not feature characters, situations, and events that will interest boys. Boys may consider reading to be a more feminine activity because a majority of books tend to favor the interests of girls rather than boys. In order to change boys' opinions about reading, more books should be written to include content that will intrigue them. We must show them that reading is not boring or girly. The best way to do this is to change what authors are writing about.
I disagree with the author strongly. True there are some boys that dislike reading, but I could find the same amount of girls that don't like to read. It is not the kids that are the problem, it's the books. With TV and video games, why does a kid need to sit and read a book? I personally never have the time to sit down and read a book. I've tried but always seem to get distracted by things I have to deal with. Does this mean there is no book out there that interests me? No, of course not. I like comic books and basically anything fiction or about science. Am I a lost cause with no knowledge just because I don't read as much as someone else? Well, I like to think not.
ReplyDeleteThis article did many things wrong, one of which was targeting boys as the main source of non-readers. It didn't take girls into consideration. Nor did it take personal problems as an excuse for not reading. Another thing it did wrong was call for exposure to books. While I agree a kid could use a book or two, let's get real here. It is the 21st century and technology is advancing everyday. We can't stop kids from using and enjoying technology. The task seems nearly impossible. When times change, so do certain things humans partake in. Maybe its time to accept that kids and young adults alike don't enjoy books. You can't force them to. So I feel for now, that we focus on different problems in society.
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ReplyDeleteThis article does make some valid points but there is also a lot in this article that I disagree with. I think that new technology probably does distract readers and make people not want to read as much but at the same time, problems such as "not enough time, I'm not good at it and it's too boring" are problems that have been around forever. There are always going to be people that like to read and people that don't. Reading is an important part of education but it is not the only way to gain knowledge.
ReplyDeleteI thought that this was a pretty sexist article. Being a girl does not mean that you automatically enjoy reading. Just as many girls dislike reading as boys. Also, if this article is saying that technology is the problem, girls are just as "distracted" by technology as boys. The amount a person likes to read has nothing to do with whether they are a boy or a girl.
I agree! I feel the same way gender doesn't matter at all. I know a lot of people who are both boys and girls who likes and dislikes to read. I find this article silly.
DeleteI agree with your reaction. The article does particularly like to pick on the boys, but what about the girls? I also agree with the fact that girls are easily distracted as well when it comes to technology. People need to stop trying to assert gender roles into everything.
DeleteI completely disagree with this article, especially since its primary focus is on boys. Technology affects everyone and that is not necessarily a bad thing. These kids are reading things on their smartphones everyday, even if they aren't in story form, it's still reading. It is very common for kids to read articles on their phones and computers about things that are interesting to them personally, and just because it is on a phone instead of in a book doesn't make this generation stupid or any less intelligent.
ReplyDeleteIt is unnecessary for the article to keep boys in their primary focus, and making generalizations in order to support their opinion. Boys can like to read just as much as girls can, and nothing is stopping them from doing so. There is really no change in kids' desire to read as they've had in the past 50 years, because the fact is that being forced to read in school is not as fun as reading on your own terms (again, no gender necessary to make this statement true). Perhaps the very people who wrote this article should try to focus more on making reading fun and appealing as opposed to condemning the male gender for not reading things they aren't interested in.
I totally agree! Technology can sometimes be a good thing. These days, anyone can read a novel on their smart phone and it is still considered reading.
DeleteI agree that children are reading things on their phones and are not only using their phones as a distraction. I also agree that reading for pleasure is much easier and more relaxing than reading a book for school. When I am reading a book for school, I am focusing on making sure that I remember the important things that happened for the quiz, rather than enjoying the novel (and this can apply to males as well).
DeleteI don't think it's right to generalize all boys as non-readers. I feel there are people who enjoy reading more than others and thats okay. There are boys and girls who like to read, while there are boys and girls who don't like to read. As teenagers, both genders have a lot on their plates. Not just boys. But I believe its important to read. There are lessons to be learned from books that kids who do not read miss out on.
ReplyDeleteThe start of making younger boys want to read more begins in school. The teachers assign books that are not interesting to boys. Most books we are assigned in middle school are not geared towards boys interests. I feel boys grow up feeling like reading isn't fun. Teachers should try to give more of a choice on what students read. Teachers pick what they feel is appropriate for the age group but what they pick usually doesn't interest kids. Especially males. I feel like also at 14 you should start to be reading more adult topics. It would open they're minds to interesting, fun, and real world aspects.
I agree with you that readers like to read and some people don't. I also feel that your 100% correct that teachers should open their options up more for students to read books that interest them. All in all, there should be a readers choice class to take in every school and i bet a lot more students would find/read many books they like.
DeleteI agree with you, I feel every school from elementary school to high school should have a reader's choice class. Sometimes we are limit to what we want to read and this class helps both boys and girls to read whatever they find interesting.
DeleteI feel like this article is unfair to only focus on boys. Gender should not play a key role in whether or not someone enjoys reading or not; you either like it or you don't. In today's world, getting younger children, both male and female, to read can be a struggle. This is definitely a sexist article also. It is unfair to say that boys have a harder time reading than the girls do. Growing up, I personally had a harder time learning to read than some of the boys I went to school with. Now as a high school student, I have a love of reading like many other students, male and female.
ReplyDeleteThis article frustrated me because it mentions the boys being distracted by technology. This is another unfair statement because everyone is distracted these days. Technology is everywhere and the growth of technology is inevitable. Both girls and boys can be influenced by technology, or may be interested in reading. Gender should not play a role in what someone's interests are.
I agree that it can be difficult to get younger children to read (both girls and boys). I also agree that a child's gender does not affect their ability to read. Everyone has an ability to read. Reading, like you mentioned, can be a pleasure and easier for someone if they like to read. People have different interests and it's their interests that distract them, which is why I also disagree that technology mainly distracts boys.
DeleteI agree, I feel like instead of blaming technology for kids not reading, we should instead find a way to turn it into a beneficial system to get kids to enjoy reading. Also, the amount you read does not define how intelligent you are, people learn things different ways.
DeleteI agree, I think this article targeted boys and was unfair to them. Just because a male may not enjoy reading as much as others doesnt mean they aren't as intelligent as females or people who enjoy reading.
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ReplyDeleteI agree and disagree with this article. I agree that more boys than girls prefer to do other things than read and that it is important for them to realize how important it is to read. I also agree that boys will want to read more if they read books that relate to things that they enjoy. At the same time, both of those things apply to girls as well. As the article had mentioned, most schools make their students read books that boys would not normally want to read. Although, I am sure that girls feel the same way about those books, so reading books for school can be hard for both genders.
ReplyDeleteI disagree that boys will miss out on thinking of ideas or experiencing different emotions just from not reading. There are other ways for them to do those things, such as being in a competition or overcoming a challenge. I was surprised when the article had mentioned that boys will miss out on coming up with ideas because I do not think that reading is the only way for boys to brainstorm ideas. All in all, I thought that the article was interesting and I believe that for a while, the stereotype that more girls than boys read will exist. There can be just as many girls as guys who do not like reading, and I believe that liking to read depends on one's personality and personal interests. I also think that the length of the book will be a factor for someone in deciding whether or they want to read the book.
I agree. The books that schools have students read can be tough for either gender. Maybe more schools need a Reader's Choice Class so they're allowed to read what interests them.
DeleteI agree with you, I feel like it's not a gender issue and instead an issue on making books enjoyable for students regardless of gender. There are also many books that are gender-neutral, so it doesn't necessarily mean that boys don't read because the books aren't made for a male audience.
DeleteI agree, boys have an opportunity to experience different emotions or thinking of ideas outside of the books. Books can't teach you everything and boys have the chance to learn it somewhere else. For the article to hold books in such a high esteem, I don't find it right. Besides, isn't it better to experience an emotion personally than just by reading it?
DeleteI agree with this article that most guys don't like to read, but i also disagree with the fact that people say they can't do anything about it. I feel if the reader gets to choose his or her book then they will have a better experience towards reading. Normally when i get assigned a novel to read for English class, 9 times out of 10 the book doesn't interest me. This is because its not the type of genre that i like. I feel like if guys got to pick their own books they would find reading more fun.
ReplyDeleteGuys aren't the only ones who don't like to read. I'm sure that there are girls out there too who hate reading just as much as guys. But again this come back to the situation that they don't get to choose their own style of book's.
Although the article does make appealing points on the issues of reading with boys, I don't agree with the fact that it's just boys who don't enjoy reading. I can honestly say that there have been books that have literally been so boring, it was a struggle to keep going. There will always be boring books and I believe that these books have been assigned to boys who take no interest in such things. The topic on who likes to read and who doesn't, needs to reach past genders because it's not just boys. It needs to focus on the issue of 'choice'. If schools establish that students have the right to choose a book suited to their tastes, I do think there will be an increase in reading rates. Honestly, who likes reading assigned books for school? Besides, not everybody enjoys reading. Some may not have time, they're busy doing other things and that's perfectly fine. It seems as if this article is attacking them for not reading, as if it's a crime and that's not right. Everybody is different and everybody has their own way of going about things. To generalize all boys and say that all of them don't like to read, that's wrong. Why not just focus on teenagers in general? Why should gender have to be a factor? I don't believe that's right.
ReplyDeleteFrom the beginning this article targeted boys and basically gave them excuses not too read. The first line of the article said that boys have trouble concentrating on reading because of increasing technology. What about girls? I know many girls that can hardly focus when reading. Not only that, but boys are not the ones who dont enjoy reading. I feel that this article was unfair towards males and that instead of just saying that boys need to start reading it could have suggested alternate ways of getting them involved in the reading world. On the other hand, I do agree with the importance of reading. I think by reading books you can learn lessons and even reading easy books can improve your intellgence as a whole.
ReplyDeleteI agree Sophia because the artical only taregeted how boys were affected by technology. Many girls dont read for the same reasons.
DeleteI think the artical was unfair to single out how boys dont read. There are many boys who read more then I do. To say that only boys are affected by the technology and are getting distracted by it is wrong because it happens to everyone. The artical made good point about how technology is affecting everyone, and allows kids to constantly have someting more fun to do then reading a book.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I thought that this article was useless. I think it's safe to say that most class books, which are often decided by teachers, have plots that are usually more relatable to or likeable by the female audience. There are only so many books one boy can read where the main character is a girl or where the main focus is on a sappy love story between star-crossed lovers (not necessarily Romeo and Juliet), before no one looks forward to even laying eyes on a book. As a girl, if I were forced to read books in school only told from a boys perspective, I would be extremely unhappy and have an overall negative outlook on the importance of reading.
ReplyDeleteWhich brings me to my next point, as child I was always told that reading should be fundamental, and as far as I'm concerned reading cannot be fundamental if I read something that I absolutely have no interest in. To single out boys and their "issues" proper reading is stupid because it's not just a gender thing. For example if a teacher assigned book that I didn't like my first move would not be to finish the novel as quickly as possible but to avoid the book at all costs.