Reading Don`t Fix No Chevys

By Michael W. Smith and JeIIrey D. Wilhelm

Tired oI seeing adolescent boys as a negative statistic in the area oI literacy, the authors decided
to conduct a thorough research to come up with some answers to be able to help these struggling
readers. Too oIten various male students had told them how much they hated reading. Wilhelm
and Smith wanted to research why they hated it so much. They wanted to Iind out how boys use
literacy and the circumstances that ignited it. By Iinding out these answers, they hoped to
discover ways so as to better instruct these students in the area oI literacy.

The study utilized Iour diIIerent schools throughout three states: an all-boys middle/high school,
a rural middle/high school, a diverse comprehensive regional suburban high school, and an urban
high school mostly made up oI Puerto Rican and AIrican American students. The researchers
worked with a total oI 49 boys: 32 European-Americans, ten AIrican Americans, Iive Puerto
Ricans, and two Asian Americans. These boys also came Irom varying degrees oI literacy
capabilities. One-third oI the students were below average achievement, one-third had average
achievement, and one-third had high achievement.

Chapter 1: What`s Going Down?
Research between the relationship between Gender and Literacy reveals the Iollowing:
ACHIEVEMENT
O Girls learn to read beIore boys do.
O Girls read more than boys.
O Boys have a more diIIicult time comprehending expository/narrative texts than girls do.
O Boys show more capability at handling inIormation and work-related texts than girls do.
ATTITUDE
O Girls spend more time reading with enthusiasm more than boys do.
O By high-school, 50 percent oI boys consider themselves to be non-readers.
O Girls enjoy reading Ior pleasure more so than that oI boys.
O Girls value reading more than boys do.
O Boys tend to underestimate their reading capabilities more than girls do.

Chapter 2: Going with the Flow
Wilhelm and Smith reIer to the term 'Ilow oIten throughout the book. They borrowed the term
Irom Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a psychologist who deIines the term as, 'joy, creativity, and the
process oI total involvement with liIe. The authors draw Iour characteristics associated with
this term:
1) Having a Ieeling oI competence and control
2) Tackling a challenge that`s not too high oI a diIIiculty level
3) Having goals and Ieedback
4) Concentrating on the immediate experience

When conducting initial interviews with the boys, the researchers used these characteristics as a
gauge to Iigure out what makes these boys 'tick. They Ielt by Iinding this out, they might come
up with some ideas as to how teachers can better serve them. For example, they discovered that
boys tended to set goals and want clear Ieedback. The authors Ielt that this could transIer into the
classroom by having the teachers give these students academic goals and Ieedback on their work
product. They Iound that many oI the teachers oI these boys were not conducting such a teaching
practice.

It is also mentioned in this chapter that teachers need to shiIt their thinking Irom preparing their
students Ior the next level oI academics to Iocusing on teaching a quality learning experience oI
the students.

Taking time to Iigure out what a student enjoys in liIe may provide ideas Ior teachers to create an
environment in which students are engaged and enjoy the learning experience.

Chapter 3: Do the Right Thing
This chapter goes into Iurther detail as to what their Iindings were with the interviews with the
boys. Going back to one oI the 'Ilow characteristics, Wilhelm and Smith Iound that boys liked
to Iocus on the immediate experience. However, when the boys spoke candidly about school,
they merely stated that it was an important means to their future. No where do they mention the
importance as to what they were doing today in school. School needs to provide a meaningIul
experience that can be applied to what`s going on in their lives right now.

With all oI the boys interviewed, all exhibited a common thread: they placed a high importance
on their social lives. Friends and social circles are a key part oI their lives. They loved
participating in hobbies, sports, music and art with Iriends who shared the same interests. The
boys also made it clear that their lives cannot be all about school. Here the authors allude to the
question as to why can`t there be a social aspect in a learning situation.

Another important note that the authors made in this chapter was that they were pleased to see
that the boys did not view reading as a 'Ieminized activity. They were very encouraged by this.
However, in the same paragraph, they mentioned that they were discouraged by the negative
connotation that the boys viewed reading as too 'schoolish. Here another question is posed by
Wilhelm and Smith as to how teachers can make the act oI reading seem less 'schoolish.

Chapter 4: Mostly Outside, Rarely Inside
I Iound this to be a particularly important chapter with a lot oI valuable inIormation. This
chapter Iocuses on activities that promote literacy both inside and outside oI the classroom. The
Ieeling oI competence is again emphasized in this chapter. When boys Ielt competent in any
given activity, they Iound it to be enjoyable as well. This could be playing a video game, or
actively discussing a recent game or match on TV. It was Iound that because many oI the boys
did not Ieel a sense oI competency in school, they were made to Ieel inIerior in class. Moreover,
they were more likely to avoid projects Ior school that made them Ieel incompetent. They would
rather 'put down an assignment and say it`s stupid than taking the risk oI appearing
incompetent because they`re not capable oI successIully completing the assignment. ThereIore,
teachers need to give students some Ireedom to have control with their literate activities. This
will help them to appear more competent in the classroom and give them more conIidence in the
end.

Since socialization is very important to boys, it`s important that teachers bring this Iactor into the
classroom. Teachers should do the Iollowing:
1. Get to Know the students personally
2. Care about the student`s individuality
3. Get to know the student`s personal interests
4. Not only help the student learn, but make sure that he has learned
5. Be enthusiastic, loyal, and be willing to continue to with his/her education so as to
become a better teacher

It was Iound that iI the teacher exhibited just one oI these traits, then the student not only
responded positively to this attitude, but he also tended to work harder Ior that teacher. On the
Ilip side, the boys didn`t care or want to work hard in school iI they Ielt that the teachers didn`t
care on their end.

Creative activities that assisted in learning were also a key part oI this chapter. For example,
boys were enthusiastic about learning when they were allowed to participate in activities that
allowed thoughtIul responses to reading assignments. For example, they loved doing dramatic
activities like reenacting a particular scene Irom a book. They also loved in-role writing where
they would write Irom the perspective oI a particular character in a play or book. Teaching
through active projects illustrates Vygotskian`s Zone oI Proximal Development. When the
teacher`s expert knowledge has been internalized by the student via creative projects, then
competence grows dramatically!

Another big theme in this chapter is giving students choices whenever possible. This helps a
student to discover himselI and his identity. All oI the boys in this study Ielt that teachers denied
them such control or choice in school. On the same token, they had the maturity to recognize
that there needs to be some boundaries when being allowed to make choices in the classroom.
One boy gave the example oI a geography project. He said that they were able to .oose a
country that they wanted to visit someday.

As negative as they boys were about literacy in the school it was Iound that many oI them
actually read a lot outside oI school and shared a lot oI commonalities as to why they did so.
One reason was to 'Iigure things out like when reading mysteries. Another reason why boys
participated in reading activities outside oI school was so they could learn to Iix and/or make
things. Mechanical manuals are a good example oI this. All oI these things point to a sense oI
desire Ior reality. Geography is a big Iactor in this desire Ior reality as many boys liked reading
about things that happened or could happen where they lived or have visited.

It shouldn`t be discouraging Ior teachers to see that the boys enjoyed a good portion oI their
literacy activities outside oI the classroom. Teachers should look to those positive experiences to
see how they can intertwine them into classroom literacy.

Chapter 5: May I Have the Envelope Please?
Here it`s discovered which types oI texts that boys enjoy reading. They tended to enjoy books
that Iocused on the immediate experience. In other words, the book had to have value to them
and relate it to what`s going on in their lives right now. They also liked books that connected to
them socially. For example, iI someone in a student`s Iamily read a particular book, that student
was more apt to read it as well. UnIortunately, iI one oI their teachers read a book, the student
was not necessary inclined to read it as teachers are not considered part oI the student`s 'social
network. This social aspect may be brought into the classroom though. For example, one
student explained that he really enjoyed literacy circles and small group Iorums so that they
could work through an issue in a book together.

Too oIten did the boys reject a book iI it didn`t grab their attention in the Iirst Iew paragraphs or
pages. Teachers can help this situation greatly by providing an interesting Irontloading activity to
get the student excited about the book.

The boys in this research really enjoyed 'storied texts rather than the typical textbook. So,
instead oI reading historical inIormation in the typical text book, they loved to receive the
inIormation via a story.

Another common theme in the types oI books that boys liked to read were ones that contained
humor. Sadly, when the researchers asked students about their reading curriculum, laughter was
never a part oI it.

Chapter 6: A ProIound Challenge
This is chapter an overall summary as to the implications oI the authors` research. Basically
literacy needs to be redeIined. It cannot be taught around a book. Rather, especially in our age oI
technology, students need to be given the opportunity oI building on the Ioundation oI literacy.
In other words, utilize music, videos, art and various electronic technologies. The boys in this
study enjoyed engaging in these various areas oI media.

There was also a big emphasis in this chapter as to the importance oI teaching using inquiry
based methods. Units need to be devised around 'critical questions. Students will Iind a purpose
and meaning in English iI they are given a variety oI texts surrounded by an inquiry structure.
All inquiry type units should begin with a critical question and a problem to solve. Students will
be Iurther motivated to learn in such situations iI the teacher lays out clear goals and Ieedback.
Students should also be given the opportunity to work in groups to reach a particular goal so as
to emphasize the importance oI the social aspect that these boys enjoy.

Another important point made was that our curriculum needs to be redeIined in the texts that we
are currently using. There needs to be a broader range oI texts used. Currently, there seems to be
a dominance oI long novels.

They also pose the question again: Where is the laughter? The laughter doesn`t necessarily have
to be in the literature. Teachers can use a SeinIeld episode to Irontload Ior a unit or book
assignment.

Also oI importance is to give them choices. Not only should students be given choices as to what
to read (at times) but also give them the Ireedom to participate in book clubs, literature circles
and simply give them some Iree time to read in class. II teachers are willing to change in order
to meet the needs and challenges oI these students, the impact will be immensely positive.