About
European educational systems have long been striving to ensure equitable learning opportunities for every student. Providing equitable opportunities for girls or migrant students has traditionally been at the centre of this effort; providing them for boys is a relatively recent aspect, but it is increasingly becoming an issue of outmost urgency. Throughout Europe, there is dire need for special attention to adolescent boys’ literacy development and attitudes, since this groups is more likely to be at risk.
The Boys Reading project aims to make reading an integral part in the life of boys aged 11-15. The project consortium asserts that this can only be achieved if teenage boys acquire control over their reading and are enabled to choose their readings from books that satisfy their actual needs and interests. Addressing the needs of boys effectively requires dialogue and the collective effort of all partners in the education process, including government, educators, parents, and community members. The Boys Reading project targets all stakeholders but focuses especially on educators, enabling them to provide classroom experiences that respond to the interests, needs, and learning styles of boys, and to engage boys and girls equally as readers and writers.
In order to achieve the above objectives, the project trains educators of boys aged 11-15 (including literacy and special education teachers, and school librarians) by engaging in a number of activities.
Partners will conduct research to identify current trends and state of the art in reading promotion for boys. The needs of boys in partner countries will be examined via focus groups, desk research and interviews with key stakeholders. Key programs and sample activities for reading promotion for teenage boys will be identified and evaluated. A toolkit will be developed, teachers will be trained and activities will be integrated in real classrooms in partner countries.
