MIHS Boys’ Literacy PLC

Action research project took place during Autumn Term 2011.

Aim

How we can encourage boys to gain the necessary skills to succeed and reach their full potential. The main purpose of the project was to find out if ‘parental involvement’ had a positive effect on students’ attitude to reading and achievement. Is reading at home the key to sustaining students’ interest in books and reading?

Group membership

Year 8 boys, Free School Meals, working below target level 5

Family support and commitment

The main focus of the project - encourage boys to spend some time at home reading in the company of an older family member or friend, ideally a male.

Every Monday/Friday (flexible) the boys would take home a copy of First News to read plus a Challenge Quiz sheet to complete and return by Friday/Monday. The LRC Manager kept a score chart of their entries and correct answers. The student with the most points was to win a prize.

Brief overview of plan

  1. LRC Manager to meet with boys to tell them about project
  2. Send letters home with details about the research project
  3. Pre-project questionnaire to be completed by parent or appointed Family Reading Buddy. 4 returns
  4. Pre-project questionnaire to be completed by students. All returned
  5. Copy of First News issued on weekly basis
  6. Score sheet – points rewarded for returning the quiz sheet and every correct answer. Boys enjoyed the competitive nature of the project. All keen to see the score sheet!
  7. Boys to meet as a group and take part in an activity – in reality met with me during registration to read the newspaper, start the Challenge quiz sheet and discuss. Boys enjoyed the group discussions and would help each other out to find the answers.
  8. Post –action questionnaires to be completed by student and buddy. Chose the boy with the most achievement points and the least behaviour points (CW) and the boy least achievement points and the most behaviour points (JB) to write up a brief personal reflection about the project. Both enjoyed the project and would like to take part in another all boys project!
  9. Family Reading Buddy to complete a ‘Parents as readers’ questionnaire. On going/not completed

Student questionnaire findings – Pre-project

Majority of students enjoy reading. Most students would like to become better at reading. Most students do not find reading difficult even though the majority would like to become better readers. This may mean that, although they are able to pronounce words and read mechanically, they would like to develop their understanding and confidence, as well as their knowledge of books and literature.

Yes / No
Read at school / 92% / 8%
Read at home / 90% / 10%
Read with family / 77% / 23%
Not much / A little / A lot
How much do you enjoy reading / 9% / 17% / 74%

Most students do not have a collection of their favourite books at home.

Most students support the school library. However, mostdo not use it out-of-school hours, nor do they use their local public library.

Majority of students do not discuss their reading habit or choices at home.

Most students belong to families who are NOT readers.

A significant number of students do not read newspapers. Most students play games at home which involve reading. Majority read on the Internet.

Parent questionnaire findings – Pre-project

Total number of First News participants = 12 students (100%)

Questionnaires returned by parents = 4 = 33% = one third

All positive replies

Q1. My child enjoys reading
Q2. Making good progress
Q3. Reads most evenings
Q4. Family reads regularly to child
Q5. Family tells stories to child
Q6. Child goes to library (agree 24.5%) / Q7. Kept well informed about child’s progress (62.5%)
Q8. Sign child’s reading card most nights
Q9. Attend book fairs at school
Q10. Like support to help child (81%)
Q11. Happy to attend workshop
Q12. Like a reading club for child (72%)

Parents who returned the questionnaire understand and acknowledge the importance of reading at home and at school. However, they do not encourage their children to make active use of libraries (Q6). Parents do not make the connection between becoming a confident reader and being allowed to select own reading material; the importance of browsing book shelves in order to feel comfortable with making personal reading choices.

Parents would like:-

  • their children to take part in a Book club
  • more support so that they are better able to help their children (Q10)
  • to be informed about their child’s progress (Q7)

The research project

MIHS boys’ group met regularly during the Autumn term. Most of the students who took part were very enthusiastic – two students were very reluctant. The boys enjoyed competing against one another. The following term the project was not re-instated due to many SEG out-of-hour projects targeting the same students. Most of the same boys were targeted for/took part in out-of-hours literacy workshops which also encouraged their problem-solving skills and team work skills.

However, I use First News to work with Key Stage 3 literacy intervention groups with great success. I meet with students who have completed their Rainbow Readerssessions. The First News resources are used to develop their reading strategies - the Challenge Quiz to draw their attention to the layout of a newspaper and ‘Look closer’ comprehension questions to practise simple ‘looking for information’ techniques and more complex ‘interpreting the information’ techniques. By reading the newspaper together we are able to discuss current news stories. The students became more confident and willing to express their own viewpoints.

Furthermore, First News is a used as an activity during LRC lessons, as well as reading material for the school’s Time Out room and during tutor registration time. In previous years, First News has been used successfully as a literacy strategy by Key Stage 3 form Tutors. .

Boys’ Literacy PLC - First News reflection questions

I selected two students from the group. One boy with the most achievement points and the least behaviour points (CW) and another boy with the least achievement points and the most behaviour points (JB) to write up a brief personal reflection about the project. Both enjoyed the project and would like to take part in another all boys project!

Did you enjoy working in a small all boys group – encouraging and helping one another? Why?

What did you enjoy the most?

By taking part in the First news Reading group did you:-

  • Improve your self-management skills?
  • Improve your listening skills?
  • Develop your understanding of the importance of libraries?
  • Do you understand more of what you read Eg. History & Science?
  • Improve your ability to find and interpret information?

Did your parents/ male role model read First news?

Did you share news stories with your family & friends?

Do you believe your parents were supportive of the project?

Did you enjoy being able to discuss news items in an informal setting?

Would you encourage other boys to take part?

Would you take part in another/similar all boys project?

CW writes:

…“I enjoy taking the newspaper home and trying to be the first one to return the challenge sheet to Ms M!”

“By taking part in the First news group I improved my self-management skills. I had to remember to collect my copy of the newspaper instead of being reminded, as well as returning it on time.

…”At home, I enjoyed reading the paper with my mum or my sister. We would laugh together over the ‘Crazy but true’ stories… I would encourage my friends to take part in a boys’ reading group because it’s fun and we compete with one another. I would really be interested in taking part in another all boys reading project.”

JB writes:

“I enjoyed working in an all boys’ group because we got to know one another and understand one another. I enjoyed working in the group because we would help each other find the answer to the challenge sheet. We would encourage one another to look for the answer and not give up….I worked well in the group because I enjoyed listening to other people. I liked discussing the newspaper serious stories and funny stories.

…”I hope my brother does the newspaper project. I think I will be able to help him.”

…”I prefer all boys because most girls are distracting and too argumentative.”

Conclusion

Overall the project was very successful and popular. The boys were enthusiastic and committed. All have made significant progress in their English Teacher Assessment grades, as well as their Reading Ages scores. Please see attached table (English Teacher Assessment and Reading Age Scores).

Most of the parents supported the project and were very happy that their children were taking part. They were reluctant to actively participatebecause of other commitments.

Most of the boys reported that they did not spend a great deal of time reading at home in the company of an older family member,however,I was unable to speak directly to the family buddy.

The parents who returned their questionnaires demonstrated a strong interest and commitment to their child’s reading and achievement. However, my involvement as the adult role model, regardless of the fact that I am not male, was the key to sustaining their interest. I had to encourage them to take part, and make sure they turned up every week by giving them gentle reminders. They, in turn would encourage each other to do the same. This ‘caring and sharing’ approach gave them the confidence to take part in the project;to sustain a positive attitude to reading and achieving in general.

How can I improve the project?

  • Promote parent participation at Year 8 parents’ evening
  • Recruit male member of staff to become actively involved
  • All project members – staff, students, family buddies - to meet up at the end to take part in a News quiz activity

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BM/MIHS June 2012