Research reveals the supposed aversion of boys towards reading fiction is mere myth!
In a recent study published in the International Journal of Inclusive Education, researchers Anja Limmer and Prof. Dr. Susanna Endres have found that fiction is the most favored reading genre among schoolboys compared to non-fiction, comics, and magazines. The study, with the DOI 10.1080/13603116.2021.1941319, involved 318 Year 3 pupils in Australia, with 152 boys and 166 girls from 14 schools across South East Queensland, the majority of whom attended state schools.
Lead study author Laura Scholes is calling for reform of literacy agendas, emphasizing the importance of promoting reading enjoyment and literature. According to the study, over half (57%) of the boys surveyed said they liked fiction or story books 'a lot', while 63% of pupils liked fiction 'a lot' overall. In contrast, 53% liked non-fiction, and 37% liked comics and magazines.
Scholes encourages teachers to communicate with parents about strategies that encourage children to read, including fiction. She believes that library visits are particularly important for emerging readers, as they may broaden the experience of boys and students from under-resourced homes.
The study's results have implications for parents, teachers, and policy-makers, suggesting that the range of boys' reading preferences may have been underestimated. The authors found that pupils who had higher levels of enjoyment for fiction and non-fiction, and who read more frequently were more likely to have better reading skills.
Evidence from international studies shows that reading for pleasure is linked to higher reading outcomes, but this varies according to a child's gender, location, and socio-economic status. The study revealed that students from schools in poorer areas tend to struggle to achieve the same reading scores as more affluent children.
Scholes is concerned that gender stereotypes may be holding boys back in the classroom. She suggests that some teachers may believe that pupils from low-income homes have less desire to read a range of texts, or they may assume boys prefer non-fiction and give them more of what they believe they like, despite fiction being more closely aligned with more advanced reading ability.
Interestingly, girls were more likely to rate their enjoyment of non-fiction higher than boys (55% vs 51%). This finding challenges the common assumption that boys are less interested in non-fiction than girls.
Fiction plays a key role in reading development, and facilitating opportunities for sustained enjoyment of reading fiction in the classroom can expand boys' reading repertoire. Scholes emphasizes the importance of promoting reading enjoyment, particularly fiction, early on in schooling, especially for boys and students from economically marginalized communities.
The authors of the study, Anja Limmer and Prof. Dr. Susanna Endres, are researchers in Data Science and Pedagogy specializing in Media Education and Digital Education, respectively. The study's findings underscore the need for a more inclusive approach to literacy education that considers the diverse reading preferences of all students.
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