If you’re a parent and you’ve been online anytime in the last few years, then you’ve seen those #boymom and #girldad posts. (There are even #bothmom and #bothdad posts for families with sons and daughters!)

These hashtags are typically attached to funny videos or memes that celebrate – or lament – the unique aspects of raising boys, or girls, or both.

Whether you find this content cute or cringey, silly or serious, it is thought-provoking.

It makes you stop and wonder if there are measurable, inherent differences in the way that boys and girls develop and learn. Is it all just stereotypes? Which differences, if any, should parents be aware of? And which differences should teachers consider during reading instruction?

Well, whether they enjoy climbing trees, shooting NERF guns, or playing princess, our children have to start by mastering the basic mechanics of reading.

Everyone has to learn their ABCs. That’s step 1. Then, they need to learn how to sound out words. And they have to learn about sentence structure, and so on. If they don’t master core skills, kids won’t be up to the task of reading at all.

Boys and girls are generally taught to read the same way. And yet, by the time students reach 4^th grade, there is a statistically significant gap between the reading scores of girls and boys that only seems to widen as they enter middle and high school. This is demonstrably true across many countries. It’s not just an American phenomenon. 

Why does the gap exist, and can anything be done about it?

In the rest of this newsletter, we’ll tackle this question and explore how we can raise stronger #girlreaders and #boyreaders, together.

In today’s issue:

• Brain scans show the same beginning

• Self-selection versus deep connection

• Role models of reading’s lasting benefits

Opening Chapter

Even researchers who suggest subtle differences in how boys' and girls' brains process language, like David Reilly, caution strongly against different teaching approaches based on gender.

In fact, a study from the American Psychological Association shows that all young readers – even struggling ones – developed the same neural pathways during direct instruction in the building blocks of reading: phonics, fluency, and comprehension. Gender wasn’t a factor. Systematic reading instruction built the brains of all the participating kindergartners in the same way. This finding is further supported by Georgetown University research using MRIs to demonstrate how young boys and girls alike use both brain hemispheres when learning language and reading skills.

The practical takeaway? We should give boys and girls the same strong ‘opening chapter’ with foundational skills instruction, plus exposure to a wide variety of books and characters as they’re learning. This will foster a general love of reading that can evolve naturally as they master skills.

Stubborn Stereotypes

One pervasive school of thought for decades was that boys just want action and adventure books, while girls enjoy story and narrative – i.e. exactly the kind of books typically assigned in the classroom. It was tempting to use old-school stereotypes to explain why late elementary school boys were lagging behind girls on standardized tests. But more recently, there’s been vigorous pushback against this “myth of ‘boy’ and ‘girl’ books” among teachers like Elizabeth Mulvahill.

According to Mulvahill, “We are doing our students – boys and girls – a great disservice by buying into these distinctions. It assumes every boy (or girl) thinks alike, is interested in the same things, or is inspired by the same kind of story.”

She goes on to encourage other teachers to remember why students read books in the first place: “Students read to be inspired by characters who are smart, strong, and brave; characters who feel and think and act like them; and characters who are completely different than them. Books help students tap into their passions, give them words for their feelings, and help them figure out their place in the world.”

Many teachers today try to achieve the goal of connecting kids to the story by letting students choose books of personal interest. This type of freedom is a great motivator. However, any assigned book has the potential to become highly relevant and exciting for both boys and girls given the right guidance, lively discussion, and plenty of links to real life.

Why should all boys and girls be encouraged to read great stories?

“Students read to be inspired by characters who are smart, strong, and brave; characters who feel and think and act like them; and characters who are completely different than them. Books help students tap into their passions, give them words for their feelings, and help them figure out their place in the world.” - Elizabeth Mulvahill, writing for We Are Teachers

Modelling a Great Ending

By the teen years, the reading gap between boys and girls becomes more pronounced. One root cause could be cultural messages. Deloitte research reveals that fathers are less likely to read themselves and less likely to read to their sons than to daughters. If teenage boys see reading as a less masculine hobby, or unimportant to their future, then they may opt for something else during leisure time, like gaming.

The statistics are stark: 44% of girls report reading as a favorite hobby compared to only 24% of boys. More than 40% of girls read at least 30 minutes daily, while only about 25% of boys do the same. Note that even for the girls, less than half cite reading as their favorite thing to do. This pattern has real consequences for academic performance and career opportunities.

How can we better communicate to young men and women about the value of reading for their long-term health, well-being, and success? The UK’s National Literacy Trust suggests using positive adult role models, not just to convince teens that reading is “OK” or “cool,” but also to show that it is part of being a successful adult and achieving their goals. The self-reported number-one role models for teens are still mom and dad! Let’s all strive to be role models who visibly value and enjoy reading.