Citing research from a number of recent books and studies that have explored how boys often want to read and write (Smith and Wilhelm's (2002) "Reading Don't Fix No Chevys": Literacy in the Lives of Young Men; Maynard's (2002) Boys and Literacy: Exploring the Issues; Booth's (2002) Even Hockey Players Read; and Newkirk's (2002) Misreading Masculinity: Boys, Literacy, and Popular Culture), this professional resource asks thoughtful questions about how boys, responding to the dominant culture, engage in literacy practices in and out of the classroom. The author shares samples of his own adolescent boys' writing, and shows how research demonstrates that boys who seem uninterested in literacy in the classroom may be enthusiastic readers and writers in different contexts.

Citing research from a number of recent books and studies that have explored how boys often want to read and write (Smith and Wilhelm's (2002) "Reading Don't Fix No Chevys": Literacy in the Lives of Young Men; Maynard's (2002) Boys and Literacy: Exploring the Issues; Booth's (2002) Even Hockey Players Read; and Newkirk's (2002) Misreading Masculinity: Boys, Literacy, and Popular Culture), this professional resource asks thoughtful questions about how boys, responding to the dominant culture, engage in literacy practices in and out of the classroom. The author shares samples of his own adolescent boys' writing, and shows how research demonstrates that boys who seem uninterested in literacy in the classroom may be enthusiastic readers and writers in different contexts. Literacy practices that appeal to some boys are addressed, and violence, its role and effect in adolescent boys' lives, is discussed at length. Concluding remarks by the author use Newkirk's research to argue that part of the appeal of action-oriented writing is that, in the same way young boys pretend to be superheroes on the playground and adolescents role-play board and video games, it offers a way to transcend the often powerless world of children into a fictional world where they can "claim power and privileges they could never claim in 'real life'". Because friendships that develop among boys through stories and problem solving are as tight as those that develop through overt verbal expressions of friendship, this resource supports letting boys pursue the action and violence in the stories that many boys like as a way of teaching and encouraging themes of loyalty, courage, and the ability to face and transcend danger with a cool head and the help of close friends. Literacy strategies include bringing students' out-of-school literacy practices into the classroom (including popular culture) and making students aware of how integral, important, and pleasurable literacy already is in their lives. At the same time, teachers are urged not to fear suspense and comedy in boys' writing but to acknowledge and engage students in thoughtful considerations of the complexity of violence in print and popular culture. (author/bcbrown)

The article provides information as to how boys engage in literary practices differently from girls. The emphasis of the article is that teachers need to focus on literary practices that provide power, choice, and flexibility for all adolescents rather than perhaps limiting ourselves to character analysis.

The article provides information as to how boys engage in literary practices differently from girls. The emphasis of the article is that teachers need to focus on literary practices that provide power, choice, and flexibility for all adolescents rather than perhaps limiting ourselves to character analysis. Physical and violent writing can help boys to claim power unavailable to them in real life as well as help them to make social connections – both fostering critical thinking and creativity. The site makes some excellent recommendations as well as providing specific examples (movies and literary works) to illustrate the author’s argument. Because of concerns of the appropriateness of violence in writing, this article is important information for writing instructors across the board. It is an example of how fiction can be used within the career-technical framework to illustrate various aspects of the field, from working conditions, to interpersonal conflicts, to the dynamics of teams and other career situations like job interview and goal-setting sessions. (dam)