FATHERS READING TO SONS

Here is some interesting information from the Australian Booksellers Association about the need for reading aloud with boys.

Engaging boys in reading can be tough.  Many parents find their boys either aren’t interested in sitting still long enough, or they often perceive reading as a “girl thing”.  The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy shows that girls have consistently outperformed boys in reading across the last six years of assessments.  Research also indicates that boys are three to five times more likely than girls to have a reading or learning disability.

When it comes to engaging boys with books, the key is reading with dads, uncles and grandfathers.  When fathers engage with their sons in reading, the level of boys’ engagement, interest and participation are known to change.  Dads are able to engage their sons in different ways with books, usually by hooking into shared interests and developing sustainable reading habits.