Cambridge University Press Engaging Boys in Active Literacy: Evidence and Practice

Too many boys do not like to read, are choosing not to read, and are suffering academically as a result. All concerned adults need to redouble their efforts to ensure that boys who bring the greatest challenges to our classrooms and schools receive responsive literacy texts and practices to increase their chances for academic, personal, and occupational success. This book is more than a compendium of techniques, it also provides an analysis of the research literature on central issues and related aspects of literacy and learning for boys. The author identifies issues that impinge on boys' literacy development and explores what the research literature has to say about these issues. The descriptions of how teachers have used engaging texts and practices to help boys overcome low literacy engagement and skill in order to stay on course as readers and writers are highly informative and practical as models of best practice. Review 'Debates about boys falling behind in school, mostly due to poor literacy skills, tend to become shrill - a boys versus girls quarrel. That's why William G. Brozo's voice is so valuable. He brings scientific light, not polemic heat, to the discussion and lays out valuable and unique advice for both parents and educators.' Richard Whitmire, author of Why Boys Fail'William G. Brozo has written a wonderfully nuanced book about the complex relationship between school-aged boys and reading. I commend him for his insightful work and recommend this book to school administrators, librarians, teachers, and parents, who have boys in their schools, their families, and their lives.' Peg Tyre, education journalist, author of two books on education and Director of Strategy for The Edwin Gould Foundation'Acknowledging the multiple identities that shape the lives of adolescent boys, this book provides a roadmap and call to arms to advance their literacy development using engaging texts, practices, and programs. William G. Brozo has given the field of literacy another gift.' Alfred W. Tatum, Dean of the College of Education, University of Illinois, Chicago'There are clear goals at the beginning of each chapter, followed by a theoretical framing of the issue under discussion. A 'Boys in the Real World' section of each chapter provides a case study, along with prompts for discussion. Chapters provide rich description of 'promising programs and practices', offering practical insight on research-based teaching methodologies in an engaging narrative voice. Each chapter ends with significant points for educators to bear in mind.' M. B. Hopkins, Choice'Chapters provide rich description of 'promising programs and practices,' offering practical insight on research-based teaching methodologies in an engaging narrative voice. Each chapter ends with significant points for educators to bear in mind.' M. B. Hopkins, Choice'Brozo's book would be of particular interest to teachers, researchers, policy makers and others who are concerned about improving literacy skills in boys, thus preparing them to better engage in our twenty-first-century global society.' Cheryl Jamison, Gender and Education'Engaging Boys in Active Literacy adds research-based knowledge and practice-based strategies to the toolkit for educators and researchers in the search for more effective ways of supporting boys to find meaning in reading - both in the act of reading and in the content of the reading.' So Yeon Shin, Harvard Educational Review Book Description Provides strong research analysis alongside effective instructional approaches to increasing boys' literacy skills and motivation. About the Author William G. Brozo is Professor of Literacy in the Graduate School of Education at George Mason University, Virginia. On the Learning Metrics Task Force, he helped establish global learning and assessment standards and he contributes to iLit, a digital program for struggling adolescent readers.