A program ensures boys have books in school libraries they can enjoy.
Heather Colpitts
Langley Advance
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
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What does it take to get boys interested in reading?
One part of the solution may be the Books for Boys program created by the Langley School District Foundation.
Part of the money from this Friday's Heart to Heart wine and cheese is going to the program and other literacy initiatives.
"The Ministry [of Education] would never fund something like that," explained Susan Cairns.
Cairns, the foundation's executive director, explained that the charity purchased 1,000 books for the area's 35 elementaries geared toward the types of reading boys would prefer as a way to encourage them to read more because there is a gap between the reading skills of young girls and boys.
"And the gap is getting wider," she said.
It's an issues Jade Graber, as a teacher and librarian, sees every day in his work at West Langley and Parkside Centennial elementaries. He said having the material is vital, but adults also have to be aware of the social implications of what boys prefer to read.
Adults may not see value in the kids being into Pokemon or comics because they don't understand the material, but that's no reason to dismiss it.
"There are more rare words per thousand [words] in comics than there are in adult literature," Graber noted.
Then there' the "gross factor." Boys like gooey, icky subjects and gravitate to non-fiction while girls tend to go for fiction.
Graber added that boys tend to shy away from books perceived as girl items, but girls are freer to read a broad spectrum of material, including books seen as more boy-friendly.
So not stigmatizing children's reading materials is another factor in getting boys to read a diversity of material. And kids who don't have a strong grounding in literacy have trouble in most school subjects, limiting their futures.
The aim of literacy education is to not only get kids reading, but also make sure then can think, access, and analyze what they take in, he said.
"Let's face it, you want as many doors open to kids as possible," Graber said.
The disparity in literacy is showing up in society as more girls go into post-secondary institutions than boys, he said.
Cairns said having the boy-friendly materials available acts as a catalyst to get boys interested in reading. In 2008, 32 Langley area elementaries will receive materials through Books for Boys. This will be the second time the foundation is funding it, after it went so well the first time.
She said the funds raised have also supported the SummerLAND (Summer Literacy and Numeracy Days), Parents as Literacy Supporters (PALS) and an equipment loan service for special needs students.
Approximately 300 kids are expected to take the SummerLAND program in 2008.
"These are 16-day programs that combine intense learning with recreation," Cairns explained about SummerLAND.
It costs about $250 per student with some families able to afford the tuition, and the foundation covering the cost for less fortunate families. SummerLAND also includes aboriginal and French immersion components.
The foundation's other significant fundraiser each year is an August golf tournament.
The foundation was established in 2001 and is a registered charity. Cairns said it is a new type of approach for schools, but the move was necessary to raise funds for programs not covered by the provincial government.
"The ministry provides the bricks and mortar, and looks after the average student," she commented.
The foundation funds programs that allow specialized learning for students with various needs who might otherwise fall through the cracks.
Others are looking to Langley to see how to establish foundations in their districts.
"I receive lots of calls about how we do it," Cairns said.
The Feb. 8 event attracts wine enthusiasts who can taste products from several B.C. vintners, and draw others wanting a grown-up evening out in support of the cause.
