Sep 12, 2010

Guys Read - Encouraging Boys reading

A hat tip first to Amanda of Desert Book Chick for letting me know about this American site developed by the Author Jon Scieszka.

Guys Read is a initiative  designed to:

help boys become self-motivated, lifelong readers.

Jon hopes to achieve this goal through a number of avenues. He lists 6 target areas on the website in the mission statement:
Our mission is to motivate boys to read by connecting them with materials they will want to read, in ways they like to read.
1. Make some noise for boys.
We have literacy programs for adults and families. GUYS READ is our chance to call attention to boys’ literacy.
2. Expand our definition of reading.
Include boy-friendly nonfiction, humor, comics, graphic novels, action-adventure, magazines, websites, audiobooks, and newspapers in school reading. Let boys know that all these materials count as reading.
3. Give boys choice.
Motivate guys to want to read by letting them choose texts they will enjoy. Find out what they want. Let them choose from a new, wider range of reading.
4. Encourage male role models.
Men have to step up as role models of literacy. What we do is more important than all we might say.
5. Be realistic. Start small.
Boys aren’t believing that “Reading is wonderful.” Reading is often difficult and boring for them. Let’s start with “Here is one book/magazine/text you might like.”
6. Spread the GUYS READ word.
Encourage people to use the information and downloads on this site to set up their own chapters of GUYS READ, and get people thinking about boys and reading.
I love this idea, and the humour displayed in such documents as the Guys Read charter.

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