It is widely recognised by educationalists that more boys than girls find learning to read difficult. The 2011 SATs results showed that one in 10 boys aged 11 read no better than a seven-year-old. They enjoy reading less and fewer boys become enthusiastic readers once they have conquered the challenge of decoding and can read competently.
As a result of this reluctance to read, boys are also less good at writing and find it more difficult to articulate their ideas and feelings, not just in English lessons, but across the curriculum.
This has an impact on their performance at secondary school and is of concern to schools across the country. There is a clear link between an inability to read well and crime, with 60 per cent of the prison population being functionally illiterate.
Register now, read forever
Thank you for visiting Headteacher Update and reading some of our content for professionals in primary education. Register now for free to get unlimited access to all content.
What's included:
-
Unlimited access to news, best practice articles and podcasts
-
New content and e-bulletins delivered straight to your inbox every Monday
Already have an account? Sign in here